Karbon Chronicles: Omnii: The Girl Who Wished Upon the Moon

Origin story of a side character based in a Futuristic Sci-fi Universe. It chronicles the tale of a young girl and her trusty best friend. Together they make the colorless two. Enjoy!

Karbon Chronicles Origins

Character: Omnii

The Girl Who Wished Upon the Moon

By Owen J. Kato

 

If you asked her

To conjure a wish

On a falling star

She’d sharply reply

No, that’s wrong

Good-bye, so long

I am young, yet wise

Look inside my bright blue eyes

For wise souls know

 Who rose out the depths below

 Shooting stars disappear 

 Far too soon

To those who wish

Upon the moon

 

 

Chapter I

       The Colorless Two

 

Omnii only needed three reasons to decide anything and she had decided that she hated her life. The first reason for this hate was the fact she loathed her job. The second, because her family was extremely poor and lived in the housing projects publicly named “The Narrows” over on the north corner of Oceanis West. The third and final reason she had decided she ultimately hated her life was simply because she believed she couldn’t do anything to change it.

 Omnii worked in the Oceanis West warehouse district for a food processing plant under the corporate name KBS Cryofarms. Her position within KBS Cryofarms was food supply and processing. She had worked there over a year after she left school.

Omnii, however loathed her job for less than three reasons. It wasn’t because she had to work six days a week only leaving her one free day off. Or because her current position had her sporting a ridiculously thick winter coat and woolly toque, and despite these layers, she was still left shivering the entirety of her ten hour shift. And it wasn’t because lifting the heavy animal corpses took a toll on her back and slender frame. No it was none of these. The only reason Omnii loathed her job was the simple fact that she was a herbivore and to her very core. Normally that’s all fine with normal jobs but in this case it wasn’t, not when she was stuck handling slaughtered cow carcasses for sixty plus hours a week in sub-zero temperatures inside a black warehouse that looked like an anvil from the exterior.

 Omnii’s body lived within that anvil but her mind lived in dreams. She would dream of other things and places, but they were just dreams for her, distant images lost behind all the spliced veins, broken bone marrow and raw red meat suspended on stainless steel hooks that populated her frozen world. The climate outside her frost filled world however, was very temperate.

 The city of Oceanis resting on the Earths equator made it a warm climate save the oceanic storms that toured past throughout the year. It was usually warm both in daylight and at night on Oceanis but Omnii rarely got the time to go outside to enjoy it. Rather she would have the time but she had taken to a love of sleeping in and it was quite the hard relationship to get out of for Omnii.

Omnii’s shifts commenced at 4pm and ran her around the cold till 2am. Today was the last shift before Omnii’s treasured one day off which to her distaste was always a Wednesday. Omnii starting late for her job would often doze into the afternoons but not today as someone had other plans for her.

 Omnii awoke as she felt a large mass land on her bed pressing down on the mattress springs.

“No, no, I didn’t ask front desk for a wake-up call.” She said as Threx licked at her face soaking it in slobber. 

“Awwww yuck man talk about a bucket of water to the face!” Omnii joked.

Threx stopped his barrage of tongue lashes to Omnii’s pale face and started to nudge her head with his. This was his way of demanding a walk out of Omnii. Anyone who knew the two well would suggest it wasn’t Omnii taking her dog for walks, rather her dog taking her.

Omnii patted Threx atop his big head ruffling his thick coat of fur. He closed his eyes in bliss of it. Then Omnii jumped out of her bed noticing her back a little stiff from all the heavy lifting she did at her job. She stretched standing up and put on faded black sweat pants with matching black hoodie. She pushed the sleeves of her faded black hoodie up to her elbows put on white stretchy cotton wrist bands that covered from her hands all the way up to her mid forearm then she inserted both her feet into some beat up scuffed black synthetic leather boots. Omnii laced them, leashed Threx and banged down the old wooden staircase and out the front door until she stopped as she heard a voice.

“Omniia Jessen Katanser” said her mom.

“Yes?” she said while she started twirling Threxs leash as if it were jump rope.

“You slept in again? It is 1:20!”

“A healthy circadian rhyme is important mom.” she replied in a yell as her mom sighed.

“Omnii you want me to pack your lunch for tonight?”

“No mom I’ll build a customized salad later.” Omnii yelled back.

“Okay have a nice walk.”

“I will mom and it's dinner.”

“What?”

“On afternoon shift I’d be eating dinner, not lunch.” Omnii sniffed with her nose.

“Oh right, have fun.” Her mom said with a guilty look drawn in wrinkles across her face.

“Mom are you smoking again?” asked Omnii sharply.

“No.” her mom said, but Omnii had smelt it, lies rarely got past her. Omnii decided she hated her mom smoking for three reasons, it was bad for her mom’s health, bad for her wallet and bad for Threx.

 “Okay, don't start any fires...” trailed off Omnii jokingly, but she sighed as she shut the door and locked. As soon as Threx heard the lock engage he started to attempt to stretch the leash and forced Omnii to run after him.

Threx wasn’t young, especially for a dog. He was seven and Omnii was eleven and a half years his senior. Omnii’s father had gotten the family Threx and when he did, he told Omnii “You’ll probably take better care of this damn dog than I ever took care of you.” Then he left and never returned. 

Threx however, was a very intelligent and resourceful dog and didn’t need much taking care of. Threx was a massive Siberian husky with bright blue eyes which were the same color as Omniis. The majority of his fur was black but it had some white also just like Omniis, well Omniis hair anyway. Her hair was black in the darkness and proved to be a dark brown when laced with sunlight. She had the tips of her dark hair dipped in pure white dye. Most of the youth in Oceanis’ warehousing district who lived in the Narrows had colorful dyes injected into their hair, it was all part of the style on Oceanis but Omnii preferred to leave color out the equation.

Threx tugged at his leather leash forcing Omnii run with him. The two colorless figures, save their bright blue eyes jogged past narrow adjoined townhouse blocks, down the side of slim ocean canals to the edge of the Pacific Ocean where waves attacked the shore, crashing against the floating landmass that was Oceanis West. Threx barked at the waves not trusting them, Omnii patted him gently to settle him down but she could not settle the ocean.

The colorless two eventually came to the base of a massive arched white bridge. Threx looked at Omnii and Omnii down at Threx and it seemed they nodded to each other. The white bridge connected Oceanis West to the rest of the large city, to the less poor parts of it. Threx looked as if he was debating something then suddenly thrust Omnii forward sprinting towards the peak of the bridge. Omnii hustled after him but had let go of his leash. She frantically tried to catch up to him as dogs weren’t authorized off their leashes on Oceanis. Omnii hated this bylaw because she preferred to let Threx prowl beside her, but she couldn’t let him, not during the daylight hours when there were people around to see. Omnii spirited in desperation up to him at the highest point in the bridge. She looked down at her dog as he was sniffing at a door in the floor that was sealed with a gold colored padlock. Omnii shifted her bright blue eyes around, then she waited, and waited until the bridge was practically free of vehicles. She pulled out a small silver key and inserted it into the padlock which flicked open. She lifted the metal floor door and Threx leapt down, Omnii quickly followed. Threx landed slamming his large paws against a metal walkway underneath the bridge. They walked down it until they came to a corner where the railing stopped. Omnii hopped the railing and Threx followed with some struggle in his step. The colorless two came to an indent under the bridge and to a door of cheap ply wood. Omnii opened it. The room inside was small enough just for the both of them and had either metal or wooden walls blocking out the consistent ocean wind that howled under the bridge. There was a small side table, two chairs some playing cards, beat up soft cover books and most importantly some food stored on a small white bookshelf.

“I think the yogurts gone bad bud.” said Omnii to her dog as she stared it down with a sour look on her face.

Threx woofed and wagged his tail in eager expectation. Omnii got out a green tennis ball and tossed it outside the door, down the metal walkway that had a railing ensuring the ball did not roll over the edge. Threx took chase after it. Not as fast as he used to but still fast.

Omnii quickly knelt down behind the white bookcase, took up a small plastic container that fit in her palm, popped the sealed lid and took out two large white pills.

“The peanut butter will have to do.” She said to herself while masking the pills in a large glob of it she had fished out of the small jar on a thick butter knife. Threx came billowing back ball in mouth grinning in achievement.

“Getting faster again bud.” She said giving him a pat while taking out the slimy green tennis ball. “Here ya go.” She said.

Omnii held out the knife as Threx took a massive bite swallowing the glob whole. Omnii immediately after opened Threxs mouth ensuring the pills went down, then tossed the ball again and sat down looking out across the ocean and sighed while blowing off causing her long dark hair to jump.

Moments passed as the colorless two sat there admiring the view of the ocean and the city out the open wooden door. Omnii then started leafing through a book about different trees while Threx sat content on being nothing more than himself. His contentness sometimes made Omnii jealous. Threx was content in chasing a ball, he was content in retrieving and having the ball, then when he didn’t have the ball, he was content or rather, eagerly content on waiting for the tossing of the ball. Threx was usually just content in everything and Omnii was content in nothing besides perhaps Threx himself. 

Omnii looked at her old beat up watch marked with roman numerals. It had a scratched gold case and brown leather strap that had been taped to hold around her wrist. She sighed again, it was time to go back, time for her to get ready for the job she so loathed.

“Okay time to go back bud.” as Omnii hid the pills behind the small white bookcase. When she was younger she had found in an alleyway and lugged it all the way up the bridge. Over the years she furnished the small space. Omnii resecured the wooden door to the colorless twos hideout. Omnii helped Threx get up the ladder and level with the bridges pedestrian walkway. She did her best to ensure no passing vehicles saw but every now and then someone would stare at how out of place they were.

They walked back home and Omnii adjusted her white wrist bands, changed into some beat up warped dark denim jeans and an even more faded grey hoodie.

“As sure as the moon lights up the night, you will see me later tonight.” She said as she patted Threx goodbye for now.

Omnii then ran down from the top of the stairs which was Threxs personal sleeping area. He slept atop the stairs as if he was guarding Omniis full family at night.

Omnii entered the small downstairs kitchen and quickly constructed a salad fusing iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, red onions, thousand-island dressing together. She decided to add thick cubes of cheese last minute. She then packed it in her faded black backpack and headed outside her house down the ocean canal walkway to the south of Oceanis West warehouse distinct to her sub-zero freezer.

 

Chapter II

Outstanding Employees

 

Omnii stared at the black anvil looking building it read in red electric letters “KBS Cryofarms: We Have the Technology”. She adjusted her white wrist bands and rolled down the sleeves of her hoodie, spat and walked in.

“You’re almost late Omnii.” said Omnii’s boss upon her arrival. A middle aged man with thick spectacles and a perfect comb-over.

“Almost.” She replied sullen.

“Today you’re on inspection, please don’t miss any bad product like last week.”

“I’ll try not to.” said Omnii. Normally she had a tongue like knife but she kept her comments to herself when handling superiors. She thought of what she had wanted to say back to her boss, It’s all bad product.

Omnii had missed some infected meat last week due to not crouching down low enough to scan the large frozen carcasses with her touchscreen clipboard. The clipboard had a micro-scanner that scanned the meat as long as she waved her clipboard the length of the carcass. She had stopped scanning the bottoms of the larger dead animals due to her back being too stiff from heavy lifting to effectively do so over and over for ten hours.

Omnii got changed or rather put on her massive winter coat, gloves and transparent coveralls then walked through thick clear plastic flaps into the cryo decks of the large slaughterhouse.

After saying some lazy hellos to her co-workers she trudged down some metal steps to the basement where the docks received the meat from the mainland. Oceanis had some farms but the well to do members of the city only had access to them and their fresh food. Omnii, her family or anyone living on Oceanis West did not.

The frozen animal hides started to parade into the cryo-decks. Today Omnii was told, would be pork. Omnii shivered at the thought or maybe because it was cold. The pig bodies started down the receiving assembly line resting on hooks. Omnii had been a receiver and cleaner when she first started at the slaughterhouse but in the year plus she’d been employed, she had moved up to mostly performing quality control duties.

 The women and men slid the pig carcasses along the hook system in the ceiling towards Omnii and she judged them, scanned them with her clipboard as it recorded the quality. While she scanned the corpses she kept repeating “We have the technology.” Sooner rather than later after staring at nearly one hundred dead pigs sliding by it was dinnertime for Omnii.

Omnii unpacked her salad and forked some leafs of lettuce in a sullen state with her head down while sitting at the lunchrooms folding grey card table.

“Well if it isn’t the only vegetarian in this whole meat filled joint.” Said a voice.

“Hey Aryio.” She said deflated and with disinterest. He took notice, he had been taking an awful of notice as of late.

“I don’t get why you don’t take a loan, cut your shifts to two and do what I do and go to school.”

“Maybe because I got a dog to feed that eats more food than I do,” Omnii gestured at her salad. “and rent to pay.”

“I’ve never seen anyone hate it here more than you.”

“Well everyone’s got to be an outstanding employee for something.” Omnii said sarcastically. 

Aryio looked Omnii in the eyes. He was young like her and only been doing the job for six months but he didn’t loathe it, he didn’t even hate it, at best it was a gentle dislike. He was only their two days out of the week the rest he was at the University on Oceanis South studying to become a pilot of some sort. Aryio balanced his workload between doing just enough to not get terminated but never enough to be relied upon. He was one of those employees who feel between the cracks in what his actual contribution to the slaughterhouse was yet still collected all his credits at the end of the day.

“I’m just saying you’re not a dumb kid, you could easily out smart half the kids at the university. Just take out a loan or go apply at the greenhouses at least… you always talk about it, when you aren’t complaining about here.”

Omnii thought for a second, then a minute. “Okay I’ll go apply.” Then she forked a carrot and crunched it.

“Easy to say… harder to do. But you have nothing to lose leaving here.”

Omnii thought for another second.  After her dad had suddenly left she realized she did have a lot to lose. What if she got the job and they didn’t like her then someone took her position in the Cryodecks. She’d have no job. She wouldn’t be able to feed Threx or pay rent and her mom had already been on her about keeping her dog and how expensive it was too feed him. Almost one quarter of Omniis earned credits went into feeding and maintaining his quality of life. Almost one third went into rent. The other third she spent away at the mall but that was the only thing she had to look forward too and she would lose that too. She would lose all that if she gambled at a new job. That gave her three reasons not to apply to the greenhouses and all she needed was three reasons to decide on anything.

“Yo Omnii you okay?” said Aryio snapping his fingers in front of her as she thought of her reasons.

“I don’t think I should apply at the greenhouses.” She said eyes glancing at the wheezing old white and black fridge in the corner that looked like it was about to die.

“Why because you’d eat everything in the greenhouse before anyone else could?” said Aryio as he gestured at Omniis empty plastic salad container. Omnii gave Aryio a sullen look. She then took up her plastic salad bowl rinsed it in the sink and walked out of the dirty lunchroom where she had just ate dinner.

Omnii’s shift finally ended after seeing countless half slaughtered pigs roll in on hooks. When she first started the site of one sent her frantically running for a toilet to puke in but she had been at it long enough she was immune to everything besides her face being in a constant pose of displeasure or aloofness. She was as numb as she was frozen in her current situation in life she thought to herself while wrestling off her clear coveralls in the unisex change room. The slaughterhouse couldn’t spare another room to divide them.

“Need a ride home?” asked Aryio as he watched her wrestle trying not to laugh.

“No I have legs.” replied Omnii. She took to the shadows and back dark alleyways to avoid being seen as it wasn’t completely safe in her neighborhood. She prowled down hidden routes and leapt some chain link fences shortening her distance of travel. It only took her twenty-four minutes to walk back to her narrow townhouse at the north end of Oceanis West. When she walked back home in the height of night the only company she preferred to keep was that of the moons.

Chapter III

Those Who Wish Upon the Moon

Omnii got home and Threx took instant notice as he was waiting lying by the door. Omnii opened the old door and hit him, she then cursed under her breathe and apologized. She then headed upstairs slowly to avoid making sounds and Threx followed her up the thin stairwell to her second floor tiny bedroom and plopped down at the top of the stairs in his usual sleeping arrangement. Omnii stepped back over a resting but not sleeping Threx, crept downstairs and made a salad. It had red radishes, the left over iceberg lettuce, ranch dressing and almonds in it. A boring salad for Omnii, but it was all she had as her mother hadn’t gone shopping yet. She headed back upstairs, leapt over Threx and showered off the smell of dead pig or tied to as best she could and changed into her soft white cotton shorts and t-shirt. She tucked herself into bed and pulled the covers up. The same sheets and comforter she had, had since she was young. It had faded moons and unicorns on it. When she was young her mother used to ask her what they were and she would always answer with “Dreams.” Once Omnii finally closed her bright blue eyes she was forced into immediately opening them again as howling echoed throughout the otherwise silent narrow townhouse.

“No Threx, shush, shush you!”

Omnii leapt out of bed and noticed the window curtains not pulled tight to the side of the pane in the downstairs small foyer. She cursed the same as she had many times before.

“Shush, no, shush!” she said to Threx as he howled away.

Threx had made out the moon in the gap of the curtains and Omnii knew once he’d seen it he wouldn’t stop howling at it, she never knew why, but Omnii didn’t know why she did the repetitive routines she was engaged with on a an almost daily basis either.  

Soon after the howling Omnii heard pounding, closer and closer, a door went swinging open.

“Omniia Jessen Katanser! Shut that wolf up or I will send him swimming in the Pacific!”

“It’s your fault! You left the curtains open!” Omnii replied. Then her mom slapped the door shut to her own bedroom.

“Okay I’ll take him out.” Omnii yelled.

More howling came from Threx as Omnii flew back into her room. Attached her white wrist bands, pulled her faded black hoodie over her head and zipped up her grey jeans.  She knew Threx wouldn’t stop howling once he saw the moon, no he would not stop till he got closer to it. Close enough that he would be content as this was one of the only times he proved discontent in his life. Now there was only one thing to do, get him as close to the moon as she could.

Omnii clasped the leash on Threx’s black collar and carefully stepped down the stairs in attempt to eliminate any creaking. This failed horribly when Threx came smashing down the stairs after her, his nails skidding across the cheap laminated wood.

“Omniia!” yelled her mom from inside her room.

“I’m going!” she said as she gently opened the front door and closed it back.

The moon was almost a silver circle in the sky and more prominent on this night. Omnii could make out its scars in the form of darker craters as Threx was heaving and breathing heavy beside her.

“You okay?” she said, but he paid no mind and pressed on close to her. After the colorless two left the Narrows as in the narrow townhouse blocks of Oceanis West Omnii unclasped Threx’s leash for Omnii knew all too well what it was like to be leashed. She was leashed for sixty plus hours a week.

Threx stopped, sat still and looked up at her eagerly awaiting his master’s command. 

“Threx prowl.” Omnii ordered casually yet confidently. 

Then Threx would as he always would when Omnii gave the command, He'd start walking, however he'd walk several feet beside, in front or behind Omnii’s current position, scouting the surrounding area and patrolling for anything of his interest or of any harm to his keeper. The two black and white shadows stalked past the gentle ocean waters flowing in the narrow canals, to the Oceanside concrete promenade. The two colorless figures prowled in moonlight.  Several shady late night passer-byers noticed Omnii who was by no means large in size. They would come closer for reasons Omnii never could come to clear conclusions about, she’d guessed before but because none ever got close enough to do anything once they noticed the massive Siberian husky off to the side, which looked more of a wolf in the darkness watching over her like a hawk protecting its nest. Threx didn’t even have to growl just the intensity of his look and the subtle snarl of his snout sent any wrong doer retreating into the shadows. It was never his usual look for the most part, he was a docile dog, loyal to Omnii as he was to breathing. His face usually portrayed a calm serene dog but when anything that smelt like ill intent was present his look would change to an image of a beyond fierce canine. It was a gentle controlled fierceness which was for the moderately wise, the scariest kind.

The men after seeing Threx backed off as if they had just taken a wrong direction in stride and once they were out of site Threx went back to being the gentle dog Omnii had raised with care, sniffing around and looking at things.

“Gotta stop trying to talk to the moon like you won’t ever see it again bud. It’s out every night.” Omnii said outloud to her dog. Threx paid no mind and kept sniffing at the Oceanside. The water was calm on this night, all to calm Omnii thought.

The bridge came next and they walked up it to their hiding place underneath. Omnii however did not sit in her chair and read, she leaned on the railing overlooking the moons reflection on the flat dark ocean. She followed the line of light up at the moon as she noticed the vapor of light across the night sky, a shooting star. She saw it but did not wish upon it. Omnii had decided that never again would she wish upon shooting stars. She amended this with in her three reasons that justified her not to. The first, they fell out of the sky. The second they were too far off in the distance of space to ever reach. And finally they weren’t around for very long, a flicker at most then always disappearing.

 Omnii had also decided in all her youthful wisdom which wasn’t much but enough to conclude that, it was best to wish upon things that were always around than the things that light up the sky only to suddenly leave it dark forever. That is perhaps the biggest reason why Omnii never wished upon a shooting star, not once since she had been given Threx.

Omnii wasn't bias on shape or size, in sickle, shadowy eclipse or in full circle she'd wish upon the moon. 

The colorless two watched the moon and listened to the whispering winds as time ticked away.

Threx after had his peanut butter with pills hidden inside without mounting any type of rebellion. Omnii wondered how long this last glancing down at the almost empty peanut butter jar.  

“Remember to tell me to get more peanut butter tomorrow bud.” Omnii said to Threx as she had struggled to muster up a large enough glob of it to cover up the large white pills. Threx now seemed content with his time with the moon started slowly to the door that lead up to the bridge walkway while Omnii pulled up her hoodie sleeves to her elbows and rubbed at her sore back then sighed. 

“Hold on bud.” She said as her bright blue eyes glanced over her white wrist bands slowly and up to the silver circle in the sky. It was large and Omnii could make out the scars on it in the forms of craters. She moved one hand over and peeked under her white wrist band and sighed. Omnii then wished upon the ever-changing moon. It was nothing big, nothing unrealistic, selfish or demanding, but she knew the moon had the power to change the tides and so she wished upon it and that wish was nothing more than for things to get better. Better for her, better for her family and better for Threx.   

The colorless two left their hideout under the apex of the white bridge heading west to their disrespected neighborhood. The majority of the populace in the large pacific city would call Omnii’s residence on Oceanis West things like “The slums” and “The Narrows” but all she called them was home.

“Threx prowl.” Omnii ordered in casual confidence as they got to the end of the white bridge. Omnii then proceeded home with Threx stalking all around her in the darkness, watching over her, protecting her.

Chapter IV

Free Days

The next morning Omnii effectively managed to sleep in but instantly regretted it as it was her one free day. She awoke and asked her mom to politely take Threx for a short walk and out to use nature’s facilities while she was gone.

Omnii after hopped in the shower, applied her make up and put on what was according to her, her best clothes. She left the house and skipped down the narrow ocean canal walkways to the Oceanis West skytrain station. She paid the fare and rode the train to Oceanis East Epica Mall which was dead in the center of the east island.

Omnii’s finances were kept in simple order. Around one fourth went to rent, two fourths or half to Threx and hers food including his overly expensive pills. This left basically one fourth to shopping and on Omnii’s days off she held nothing back.

She would walk the mall feeling a bit out of place while scanning all the shops and merchants in the vast undercover mall. She decided she needed a new black backpack because hers was too faded so she bought one, she internally justified this with the fact that the new one had more pockets. Then she saw a girl in tortoise framed sunglasses, so she eagerly searched them out and bought them too despite the price. She ended her spree with the purchase of two black sweaters with various unique designs of circles on them and a black baseball cap.

Finally content with her new purchases she ate alone in the large but crowed mall food court undercover area observing families with smiles on their faces, young university couples with love in their eyes holding hands giggling. Groups of girls laughing at what Omnii thought was nothing funny at all. She looked down at her overpriced salad and it looked a little less tasty now.

The sun started to descend from the sky and Omnii decided on trekking back home. It took her over an hour and when she opened the door she was greeted with a barrage of yelling.

“Omniia your dog attacked Mr. Vektar’s dog!” yelled her mom.

“Where is Threx?” asked Omnii shooting back anger.

“I locked him in the pantry closet! To keep him under control!”

“You what!”

Omnii ran over to the kitchen and opened the pantry closet to Threx sitting calmly. His tongue dangling out of his mouth. She took hold out it with her hand, felt it, was dry, so was his nose.

“Mom he’s dehydrated!”

“Serves him right for attempting to hump the neighbor’s innocent dog!”

A sly smile crossed Omnii’s face. “Did you let him finish?” she joked sarcastically.

“Huh?” replied her mom deep in blank stare.

“Did you let him… finish?” Then Omnii made a gesture.

“That’s why you have such a poor job, you are so immature!” said her mom. “I stopped him as soon as I could control him.” She finished.

Omnii let out a relaxed laugh then got Threx some tap water, it wasn’t the best water but it was good enough. Omnii then started making a kale salad for herself after moving her shopping bags into her bedroom. Her mom took notice of the bags. 

“Spent all your hard earned credits again huh?” her mom said to her coldly as she was preoccupied constructing a unique salad.

“Well I only have one day off to enjoy it all.” She Omnii as she kept her head down sorting the kale on her wooden cutting board.

“Ever heard of saving?” said her mom.

“People save for what mom? Rainy days? Every day it’s metaphorically pissing hail on me here.” Omnii replied in a harsh tone.

“You know your life ain’t bad, you could be sealed in the astromines breathing in astro-particles or a deep-sea welder or constantly picking up after kids.”

“At least welders get paid enough to own their own place in Oceanis East.”

With that Omnii had finished making her salad and retreated from her mom to her tiny bedroom upstairs but not before saying “Threx prowl.” The large husky followed.

That night before the sun fell Omnii made certain to cover the windows with curtains ensuring Threx had no line of sight of the moon and therefore would not howl or bark at it. After she attempted to read a self-help book on improving her position in life on her bed but failed only to fall asleep almost as soon as she opened the first page. Hours retired away, then she was awoken with a thick tongue to the face that was rather drier than usual. Then the echo of howls followed.

“No!” she said in frustration pounding her fist against the mattress after she sat up in surprise. “I blocked the moon!” Omnii then slammed the top part of her body back down on her mattress and shoved her pillow over her head. This action caused Threx to leap up to the bed which took him some added effort. He nudged the pillow away from Omnii’s face and started nosing her long black and white hair out of her eyes and face. Omnii had no choice but to get up and review her curtain set up, it was flawless, no moon in sight, no dark sky for that matter. But Threx kept howling.

“Shush, shush it’s my only day off! We don’t prowl tonight!”

Threx replied in more howls.

“Omniia!” yelled her mother from down the hall.

“Oh now you’ve gone and finalized it!” Omnii said locking Threx in a head lock and knuckling at his soft head. His eyes closed in bliss of it.

Omnii knew the drill. She dressed in her new black sweater and faded sweat pants, booted up and leashed Threx.

The colorless two strode into the shadow of night and passed all the usual buildings and places they were all too familiar with while on the way to their bridge hideout. Omnii opened the door to their small room and noticed the empty jar of peanut butter and cursed under her breathe knowing she had gotten everything for herself she had wanted at the Epica mall but not the one thing Threx needed. She then did what she always had and tossed the green tennis ball down the metal walkway however this time Threx did not pursue it. Omnii gave a curios look and got out his pills from behind the small white bookshelf. She hid them behind her body as if feeling guilt for giving to him without his consent. Omnii fished out as much residual peanut butter from the sides of the jar as she could. The glob was small but enough to hide the two white pills. She inserted the pills in the glob and held it out in front of Threx but he did not move his head towards it.

“Come on bud I don’t want to be here all night.” She said to him.

Threx looked up at up her and then back down to the peanut butter as if it was foreign. Omnii thought maybe he had finally caught on to her scheme. She knew the pills made him a bit drowsy in the hours following his consumption but she knew this was the best for him.

“Come on take it, it’s right in front of you.” Omnii then thought Threx knew what the pills were for and that he was in pain and wanted to go to the bridge just to get them, but Threx didn’t move towards the glob of peanut butter.

“Come on Threx you need them.” she as she attempted to shove the glob of peanut butter into her big dogs closed mouth. She eventually got it in but Threx pushed the glob out with his tongue. The glob fell to the metal grate below and the pills slipped through the cracks in the metal down into the vast ocean far below. Omnii let out a sigh as she watched them fall. Threx made what Omnii thought was a smile and sat beside her putting his head on her lap. She patted it slowly as the two watched the moon in silence as the wind howled underneath the bridge. Omnii wished upon the moon again, the same wish that she always wished.

After some time the colorless two eventually got cold and headed back. Omnii tucked herself into her cold bed as Threx came into her tiny room and leapt up to her bed in no small effort.

“No Threx, no prowl, floor, floor.” As Omnii pointed to Threx’s spot outside her tiny room. The dog did not move.

Omnii became puzzled. Threx hadn’t done this since she was a little girl and he was a little pup. After much unsuccessful nudging and pushing Omnii submitted her dog’s wishes. Secretly she didn’t mind as he warmed up her cold bed real quick with his body heat. The colorless two curled up and sealed their bright blue eyes for the night in the company of each other’s warmth.

 

Chapter VI

 

Omnii awoke before noon this time and looked over at Threx who was still occupying a large sum of the bed.

“Hey lazy a*s get up.” She joked.

He didn’t move, especially when he was dreaming. Omnii then went up to his big face. “Lets see how you like being licked awake huh!” she said as she licked his face regretting immediately after as she got a taste of fur pasted to her tongue. 

“Threx prowl!” she said in a half laugh.

“Threx get up! Threx!”

“Threx!”

“Threx get up!” But Threx did not move.

“Threx Prowl!” she said in excitement.

“Threx.” she shoved him but his body was limp, a little cold even.

“Threx prowl!”

Tears started to descend down Omnii’s pale cheeks.

“Threx… prowl.”

“Threx get up.” She said voice now muffled in an emotional plead as she shoved at his still body.

“Threx prowl…” as tears flowed like small rivers down her face.

“Omniia what is going on?” said her mom who came into the room to her daughter sitting on her bed with her lifeless dog. She noticed her daughter’s eyes red and bloodshot as she was crying hysterically punching at her mattress in a hurricane of rage and anger.

“Omniia?” she said, it was all she could say as she played over the scenario reaching for the best thing to grasp on how to deal with her daughter and her sudden loss. Omnii looked up at her damming her tears for a moment but shaking.

“He… he’s gone.” She said calmly with sniffle of her nose then her brief composure shattered into an onslaught of emotion and anger. Omnii punched at her mattress with tightened fists while making sobbing wheezes of desperation. They almost sounded as if a dog was whimpering, almost.

“Things were suppose to get better.” Omnii kept repeating in a wheeping whisper as her mom took her up in her arms.

“It was just one time. I didn’t give him his medicine… He wouldn’t take it. He wouldn’t take it.” Then Omnii broke down again into sobs.

Her mother was surprised at this. She’d often search Omnii’s room for substances unbefitting to a healthy lifestyle. Most youth on Oceanis West took to mind altering substances but she had never found of them in Omnii’s or any pills or dog medicine for that matter. None whatsoever in any of the usual hiding spots Omnii kept things she didn’t want her mother knowing about. Little did her mom know Omnii knew better than to try to numb the pain of living on Oceanis West with substances. Omnii preferred to remedy the pain never numb it, unless it was a last resort. So her mom would look and find nothing but still she kept looking. After thinking of why her daughter had hid this from her Omniis mom quickly shook off the thought and focused back on comforting her daughter.

“It’s not your fault.” Her mother kept repeating to her daughter gently.

“I’m sorry mom. That I hid the pills from you. I… I… just didn’t want him to live in pain. No one should live in pain.”

“It’s okay Omn.” Her mom said back.

Omnii had hid the pills from her mom for Threx’s sake. The pills cost a heavy sum of credits and Omnii knew her mom would never allow her daughter to spend that type of money on a dog full of cancer. A dog that was probably a lost cause as time makes us all so. Yet the medicine also supposedly allotted more time for Threx or at least that is what the vet had told Omnii after he gave Omnii the figure for surgery. A figure she could by no means afford unless perhaps she hadn’t spent all excess credits on clothes and other things she had wanted. So in the end she kept the pills from her mom and she felt right in the doing so of it.

Omnii settled a bit as men came to take Threx away. She went back up to her room and sat then dialed work.

“I can’t come in today.” She said.

“Give me one good reason why you can’t make it in?” asked her boss in a tone of suspicion.

“I am sick.”

“Everyone’s sick, you wear a coat and get on with it.”

 “No.”

“Okay then, get a physicians’ note for me tomorrow.”

“Okay I’m not sick but I have a family issue.”

“You’ve used your one personal day.” He shot back almost instantly.

Omnii then collapsed. “Fine I’ll be there.” She said with venom in her voice.

Omnii got dressed and walked to work feeling lonely. She got in and suited up in her winter attire and clear coveralls.

“Today someone called in sick, you’re back at receiving.” informed her boss.

Omnii walked into the cryo deck head down and started to receive lamb carcasses off the boat in the under dock receiving bay. She looked at all the dead bodies and saw nothing but her dog. She had flashes of times with him and then it all became too much. She stopped looked out of the receiving bay to the sun shimmering across the vast ocean. She then decided on three reasons to go talk to her boss. She started towards his office. As she entered into the small disorganized office she beamed at him so he beamed back.

“I’m cutting my shifts to two days a week starting next week.”

“You’re what?” he said getting off his mobile device.

“2 days a week, no more. I need a change, time to think about things and time to spend with my family.” She said with a voice unmoving as stone.

“How about no days a week?” he said.

“So be it, I’ve lost enough. I can lose some more.”

“Okay, okay lets not jump the unfinished bridge here. If you stay on perhaps we can talk about a 10 percent increase, you’re a reliable worker.”

Omnii thought about it, about all the stuff she could buy, how she could afford a new fancy watch or more colors for her hair, then shoved the enticing thought from her mind.

“Two days a week.” She said sharply.

“How about a 20 percent increase? Just don’t tell anyone.”

“Two days a week.”

“Fine but I need grace time to find a replacement, give me a month or two.” informed Omniis boss in a slight tone of desperation. “What happened to you today anyway? You’re all angry.”

“My dog passed on. I am going home, I will honor my position until you find a suitable replacement then I am at two days a week.”

“Why do you only want to work two days a week Omnii?”

“Because I want to go to school.”

“For what?”

“Something entirely different than this, botany.”

Her boss laughed at this. “To study a bunch of plants, okay sure there. Go change the planet studied plants. KBS has a great company coverage and after ten years of service you will be allocated three weeks of freedo-”

To that Omnii stepped out, out of the cryo freezers, out of her coveralls then she took off her winter attire and went to the lunch room to collect her dinner to bring it home when she was interrupted.

“Omnii whats going on?” asked Ayrio.

“You’re a nice guy, but you run with the wrong people.” She said harshly, she preferred to be alone.

“Whoa, whoa what’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s nothing for you. Pretty soon I’ll be at 2 shifts a week thou.”

“Nice.” He held his hand up to give her a high five, but Omnii’s hands did not move.

“Okay uhhh, cool, hey heard they are taking workers at the greenhouses...”

“Okay?” to this Ayrio gave a tightened face.

“…you should apply…” he trailed off. “You have nothing to lose… and don’t worry about being embarrassed if you don’t get it… I lost an air combat simulation to a scrawny little girl with white hair a while back in front of a crowd!”

Omnii gave him a sour look then she walked off.

“Good luck!” yelled Ayrio. Then he thought to himself alone, the girl was right he did run with all the entirely wrong type of people. He shrugged it off and started to heat up his hamburger in the heatwave oven.

Omnii didn’t go home after leaving her workplace she marched all the way up the bridge and started to dismantle Threx and her makeshift fortress. She kicked the plywood walls down. She tossed her chair off the bridge sending it hurling to the waves below. She chucked the empty bottle of peanut butter against the steel supports of the bridge as it shattering off and the shards of glass raining below. She regretted it afterward. The sun started to fall to the horizon as she watched in it tears and alone.

Then she took one last look at what was her and her old dog’s main hangout, a place just for them. She noticed the pills behind the bookshelf she had kicked over in a rage. She kicked the bookshelf again and took up the pill sin her hand. She thought of three things she could do with them then she wrestled with the choices as she stood underneath the high bridge. She choose the best path and unscrewed the bottle taking the left over pills which were high grade painkillers in her palm. She glanced down on them eyes filled with tears turned her palm sideways then over so she could see the back of her hand. The pills fell through the air and into the largest ocean in the world. Omnii half smiled, then frowned, then laughed then cried then broke down into a sitting position, hand holding onto the railing bar weeping like a child lost in a grocery store for several hours. In those moments she’d thought someone would come and rescue her from herself but no one came. Omnii eventually picked herself back up off the metal walkway took a last look at the hideout and left it for what she figured would be forever.

Over the next few days she cried intermittently, while at home, while at work, while she walked the nights alone lurking in the shadows to avoid being seen by any Oceanis West unfriendlys.

Her mom worried about her, so did her younger siblings but she didn’t care. On her days at work she spent them as numb as the frozen meat she graded on the assembly line. Her one free day and off time were wasted in her room. Sometimes she went for walks alone but never far and nowhere near where she usually stamped her boots, which was the Epica Mall.

A month passed and Omnii knowing her six day weeks were coming to an end opted to work for anyone who called in sick. She had managed to save a fair amount of Oceanis credits in doing so. She kept to her salads and started running home not that she needed to, her frame was small to begin with but this added some personal confidence. She ran into some of the night’s unpleasant folk and without the protection of Threx, but she managed to run away faster than they took chase of her.

One night Omnii’s mom gave her an urn. She knew what to do with it. She prowled to the white bridge, flicked open the gold colored padlock and sat with the urn on a tipped over white bookshelf.

“Well bud you ate most of the peanut butter.” she said in an emotional whisper then looked to the moon as the colorless two had many warm Pacific nights “I stopped wishing on it ever since you died, but here’s one more time, for old time’s sake.”

Omnii wished upon the moon, the same wish, nothing fancy, then she unscrewed the lid and let Threxs ashes dance in the wind until they got tired and peppered the ocean below.

“Good-bye.” she said.

 

Chapter VII

The Changing Tide

 

After a month and a half had passed Omnii was on her last shift of working her usual six days a week. She sat in the lunchroom grazing over her Greek salad picking out the small feta cheese chunks with the tip of her fork when Ayrio came billowing in.

“Welcome to my world!” he said jokingly. He’d never use this chipper tone around his usual friends as they were a lot darker in nature.

“Haha thanks.” Said Omnii.

“Are you registered for school yet?”

“Yeah, I got held back till next year because I had to take some assessment exams but I passed them easily, so I got in.”

“Congrats and here’s a cheese cake! I tried to make it but it didn’t go so well, you don’t have to eat it.”

“I’ll give it a try.” She said.

The two awkwardly forked at their cheese cake slices in silence when Omnii’s boss came in.

“Sorry to see you go, you were an outstanding employee.” He said. Aryio and Omnii both raised their dark eyebrows in eye lock.

“Uh I’m not leaving, just cutting or rather slicing my shifts down to two.” said Omnii sarcastically who wasn’t looking in her bosses direction.

“Uh yes sorry, well keep up the outstanding work then!” Then realizing he wasn’t wanted in the lunchroom he left the two to their post dinner dessert.

“Weird guy.” Said Ayrio.

“Funny guy.” Said Omnii. Then the two both went back to their cheesecake.

“Hey do you want a ride home tonight? I know you never usually do but I thought I’d ask again?”

Omnii thought about it and looked to her locker which had her running shoes and jogging shorts then decided that tonight she didn’t need to run, not tonight.

“Fine.” She said. Aryio smiled but if he was asked, he would tell otherwise.

Another week travelled by and Omnii had on a white button down dress shirt and a skirt on. The skirt felt weird. She tried heels but flats were more her thing, she wasn’t very tall but she was okay with it so heels were of no use either for moral support or foot support. She felt weird in the moderately fancy attire. She looked down to her wrists and carefully slide off both wrist bands then quickly without looking rolled down her white button down shirts cuffs, then she buttoned them and gave herself a glance in the dirty mirror. She looked rough but presentable. Her black hair was combed and tied back with white sticking out the top. Omnii let it down and decided to let things flow.

She walked in the rays of the sun towards Oceanis West southeast section, it was the greenhouse farming distinct. She walked past large clear buildings of glass and all she could make out inside was green, buildings as big as arenas but not as tall all filled with nothing but an endless blurred green shadows. After she passed them she walked up a steep flight of stone steps and into the main entrance. Above the sign read W.W. Green Globe Food Solutions. G.G.F.S. for short but she did not spit. Omnii then met with a lady in white business dress who took her on a guided tour of the facilities showcasing the various technology and diversity of edible products within the green house and the systems in sustaining them. Omnii was particularity curious about a product she had been introduced to called a “starfruit.” The lady then sat her down in her glass office which had a window behind her desk overlooking one of the greenhouses.

“So after reviewing your qualifications, I am sorry to tell you there are three reasons why you won’t get the position here you applied for.”

Omnii felt a bit overwhelmed and that she didn’t belong with all these fancy people and in a fancy clean bright facility like this. That it was all too bright and nice for her and that she would get an answer like this, no tide would turn here. Then thrust that thought from her mind.

“Give me the three reasons why I won’t get the position?” she said sharply.

“One you don’t have experience.” Said the lady coldly.

Omnii paused and thought. This silence seemed to put the lady off.

“Two you have no prior education in the field and no education of any kind past focus school.”

Omnii agreed, she did not have that.

“And with both those reasons, my third being I cannot justify having you on payroll here, or justify hiring you.” said the lady in a stone cold stare ensuring her statements were met without resistance. Omnii felt a bit betrayed as the lady had been super cheerful in her tour and seemed excited at how excited Omnii had been as her eyes lit up on several occasions during the tour. But Omnii now figured it was a skit, a mask she put on so she could get out of her office and not have to answer her mobile. This notion blazed a fire in Omnii.

“I’ll give you three reasons why I should get the position.”

“Shoot then.”

“You have issues with paying someone with no experience?”

“That is correct.”

“One, Pay me in experience, not credits, just experience.”

The lady nodded in surprise at the fire in Omnii’s voice and the flares in her bright blue eyes.

“Two, I am going to school for botany in a couple semesters, I scored highest of my test mates on the program assessment exam and I intend to get my degree in either botany or Xenobotany.”

The lady sat there across her desk staring at the colorless girl.

“Three, after I volunteer here and finish my degree in a timely fashion, I will have both the experience, education and most importantly, the justification to hold a position here at G.G.F.S. and thus entitlement to being paid an appropriate sum of credits due to occupational responsibility I will give you my all, nothing less, for I have nothing else to give.”

“So be it. The position will be filled with the proper justified candidate, you will not be in high regard, however you will volunteer where we need use of you. You can start with cleaning and learning about the watering and plant hydrating systems. You start on Monday and work till Thursday eight hour shifts.”

“I will work three days for you, six hour shifts. My shifts will be cut when I attend school as my focus will be directed towards there, is this okay?” shot back Omnii with her tongue which was currently operating as sharp as a katana blade. 

The lady looked stunned. “Well it seems you speak as if you have nothing to lose…”

“I’ve lost enough.” replied Omnii. And she had lost. She had lost her father without a proper good-bye, her dog and best friend in the dark of night and in all that loss she had lost something else, something she never needed but held onto so tightly. She had lost her fear. Fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of not being enough, fear of becoming someone she wasn’t. 

“Well you’ve gained this job. Talk to the front desk they will get you set up with an access shard and proper green suit measurements. Here at G.G.F.S. we get dirty and roll out sleeves up, so be prepared to work hard and learn lots.”

Omnii looked to her long sleeve shirt, she would not being rolling up her sleeves but she would get dirty, she would work hard and above all, she would learn lots. 

With all that Omnii sat up and shook the ladies hand as firm as she figured was polite and walked off into the sunlight. She put on her tortoise framed sunglasses and walked the south Oceanside glancing over at the massive buildings of the University, her future, then she suddenly leap up and first pumped. A man walking a dog noticed and quickly sauntered away. Omnii laughed at this.

Three weeks later Omnii had been bumped up the waiting list at the university as others dropped botany. she had to take out a student loan but the company she volunteered for opted to give her a small sum of credits in the form an a research grant that almost paid for her first semester in the botany program. Omnii utilized the credits from her two shifts at KBS Cryofarms to pay rent and save a little on the side. She still lived with the pain of missing Threx, she remembered him every day, especially in the nights and the morning when she realized he was no longer there. Omnii figured that those feelings were just confirmation, nothing more than a reminder of the cost of loving someone.

 

Chapter VIII

The Girl and her Dog

 

Another couple weeks soared by and it was Omniis free day from both her internship in the greenhouse district and her job she no longer loathed at KBS Cyrofarms. She celebrated her free day simply sitting on her houses back steps absorbing sun and forking at one of her custom made salads while she watched her younger sisters throw around an off white rubber ball. She looked down at the creation that was her salad, this one had cashews, carrots, brown rice, beans all fused together with avocado and slice of pear. Upon first bite she Omnii was skeptical, by the time she was half done, she was content with it, finally by the end she had decided she liked it. She was almost done her salad when her mom called her from behind as she noticed her daughter sitting alone on the back steps of their house admiring the pathetically small garden area of their tiny backyard.

“Hey Omn.”

“Hey.”

“Head over to the Vektars they have a garage sale, maybe you could get a new something or other for cheap.”

“It’s okay mom, I don’t need anything.”

“Just go check it out.” Her mom said to her.

“Why?”

“Just go Omniia.” She said sternly but still with a hint of warmth in her voice.

“They hate us ever since you know who attacked their black German Shepard.”

“Yeah but all is forgiven and lost to time, just head over there, oh and he finished.” added her mom.

“Huh?” said Omnii who got to her feet. Her little sisters who were years younger than her ran around a small garden table in circles repeating “He finished, he finished, he finished.” And laughing. Omnii gave them a puzzled look wondering if she was like that when she was a kid, she figured she probably was. She got up and started over a few blocks down the ocean canal towards the Vektar’s mentioned garage sale.

Upon arrival Omnii’s eyes opened in confusion, then she had to stop to catch her breath as she held at her chest and almost fell over.

“You okay miss?” said Mr. Vektar, an old man who had been known for telling stories of space and certain legacies.

“I’mmmm.” But Omnii couldn’t finish. Then something small, tiny even pawed at her legs.

“He doesn’t listen to no man that rogue one. I’m sorry miss.”

Omnii looked down to a small puppy then she looked over the tiny front yard which had old items for sale, some looked so old Omnii could guess they came from the year 2015. Over on the small patch of dying grass a small area was fenced off with six small puppies running about carelessly, tumbling with each other. Omnii looked back down to the colorless puppy nipping at her shins, pawing at her black leggings.

“Sorry miss, oh hey you’re that girl with that dog? I mean I’m sorry. I mean sorry for your loss, your mom told me about it.” Said the old man.

“It’s okay, we lose things, are you selling these puppies?”

“Some, not all. Sorry he got out, he’s a little rogue, the lone wolf of the bunch I guess. See how the others all play with each other around in their fenced area? This little one got out I guess and runs for the hills, that is if Oceanis had hills. Actually, he ran to you.” He said as the words seemed jumbled in his speech.

Omnii stood there silent staring at all the tiny dogs in sensory overload. The old man decided to break the silence. 

“Yeah your old dog there sure gave us a load to look after. Now we got all these half mutt colorless dogs running around. Half black German Shepard half Siberian Husky. Dogs like these need lotsa walking, and this island ain’t big enough. But some of them will make for smart dogs, not all. Maybe it’s only the ones that choose to be. Who knows. There momma’s smart, I’m sure their father was too.” finished the old man warmly.

Omnii still maintained her stance watching all the tiny accidentally half-bred dogs run around while their mother rested outside the pen serenely.

Well let me know if you see any of them you like and I’ll tell you if they are for sale, I can’t keep track of them all so just pick one up and show me and I’ll tell you.

“Okay.” Omnii said then she walked off and sat down trying to catch her breathe. The sight of the dogs overwhelmed her. She thought of three reasons she should go back to that garage sale and so she did.

A crowd was now there, most of them admiring the tiny beautiful dogs. Little children picked them up and begged their parents and Omnii stood there wondering if she even deserved a dog. Then the old man came up to her again.

“Your old dog had good blood in him, so these crazy critters will go fast, don’t reason with yourself too long.” As Mr. Vektar winked at Omnii.

Omnii scanned over the pen and observed all the tiny puppies playing and tumbling with each other without a care in the world. Some were all black, others with a mix of white and black. Some had eyes of bright blue like hers others brown or gold or green. Omnii thought back to what her mother had said. “Finished.” Threx had definitely finished alright, or rather started, started a whole family of hybrid dogs that were filled to the brim with life and cheer. They all looked cute but Omnii knew with those two breeds mixing they could amount to a strong competent dog. After grazing over the pen she put her head down realizing she ought to go without a dog for a bit but mid thought something jumped at her.

“Sorry I ignored you.” She said to the puppy who had been at her feet when she first arrived, the one that had broken free of its cage.

She took the little soft almost all black dog in her arms then almost dropped him after making eye contact. What Omnii saw was two eyes, there’s nothing strange about that. What was strange to her was the fact that one was bright blue and the other was a striking amber, then it faded to dark brown as a cloud temporarily blocked the sun.

“Whoa you are abnormal.” She said in surprise while the little dog licked at her face.

Mr. Vektar took notice of the dog and his eyes and shot Omnii a frown. “Nope that one ain’t for sale. I didn’t realize he was the one at your feet, can barely tell unless I see his eyes.”

Omnii thought of putting down the little dog and letting him run back to his siblings but after the dog had looked her in the eyes she just couldn’t.

“I can’t buy him? Are you sure?”

“Well you’re dog had a hand in making him or should I say a…”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” Said Omnii sharply.

“But I can’t give him up, some guy has potentially offered a lot of money for that there pup.”

“Potentially? But not finalized?” asked Omnii.

“Yeah that’s right but he’s from Oceanis North, he’s got a lot more credits than you could ever offer.”

“You wouldn’t have these dogs if it wasn’t for my dog.” Shot back Omnii as she bounced the little dog in her arms but respecting it enough not to talk to it as if it were a baby. The mostly black dog felt warm and soft and couldn’t keep his dual colored eyes off hers. The old man took notice.

“Fine I’ll tell you what, that dog in your arms listens to no man, I tried keeping him in this pen, he gets out, I tried getting him to come, he walks away, if you can get him to walk away with you, he’s yours for free.” Said the man with all the confidence in the world knowing the dog was too young, too rebellious and too much a rogue for anyone’s orders. Omnii stood there thinking or his offer as the elderly man opened his mouth again “Give him a name, call to it to him and if he comes to you he will be your responsibility until his death or your own.” When he said this Omnii put the black puppy down and it started to explore and sniff a few feet from her.

Omnii had to reason with three things. Whether she wanted another dog, whether she felt she needed one or was worthy of one. The second, she was on the spot for a name, it couldn’t be just any name as names are important, the choosing of them echoes a lifetime even perhaps several. And three what command to give the tiny black dog and what tone and cadence to call upon it in.

Omnii’s bright blue eyes shot up to the sky while she went into rapid reasoning and thought attempting to feel out a name for the small black puppy that had ran towards her in his own escaped state of freedom. Her blue eyes met with the endless blue above. Omnii scanned the vast clear sky to credit herself some time and in doing so took notice of a silver circle suspended in the bright blue expanse. She wondered at why it was out so early or why it had hung around so late. Then she wished upon it for three reasons the same three reasons she had loved Threx. Like Threx the moon was always around, it was sometimes hidden, or hard to see but it was always there in the darkest of times prowling the sky. She also needed someone or something to look up to as not one in her family had ever been, what society had deemed "successful." So she looked up to the moon and to Threx as he was happy in his life. The third and last reason was simply because she loved it, the moon and Threx. This time Omnii however wished a different wish that filled her with a tingle of energy. She shot her bright blue eyes back down and into the tiny dog’s dual colored ones. He looked back into hers and she waited for a quite moment, then it came and Omnii opened her mouth.

“Trexx, prowl.” She ordered sternly with unweaving confidence in her tone and cadence. Then she turned and walked away from Mr. Vektar, his small garage sale and the small colorless dog.

Omnii took every stride in hope but as she got further away that hope started to dim. She endured the diming and pressed on alone as she had after Threx had died. Quick flashes came back to her of him after seeing the puppies and she thought nothing but love and remembered perhaps why he had woken her that night even though he had not seen the moon. It was to say goodbye. Omnii almost smiled at this notion but not quite.

She was happy in that though, in her old dog as she kept walking alone. Then behind her, her ears made out the distant sound of nails patting and then skidding upon pavement almost beside her. Close, closer they came and in no time they were beside her as she felt a fuzzy soft coat brushing up against her scarred striding colorless boots. Omnii looked back up to the moon and only needed one reason to smile .

The End

Author's Note

Written in a few hours, revised once while I was really tired I added something things, like the company she worked for and their slogan. But please lend me any opinions or whatever words you wish. It will help my writing. I hope you like the colorless two.

Reviews

[David Jae]

Very rare to see a finished work and I think that's well done. I like the overall story and I feel for Omnii and Threx.

Some of your dialogue was a bit stilted and unnatural, which is the only criticism I can make. Try reading it aloud to yourself and see how it sounds.

But, you have created and interesting world and concept, which is the hard part of writing.

Ganbare

[Pajci]

Your revised version is more engaging than your first draft! I really enjoyed reading it! I also liked how you added more background and extra info. on Omnii's work place, family etc. The beginning poem was good too, I liked the last little stanza group. Last thing, I also liked how you added more into the conversation between Omnii and her Botany-Person-Interviewer.

Well done Mr. Kato!