Firsts: A Transcendence Short

Free-Jones Apartment

New York City

United States of America

June 2121

I.

The first time Ansel bares his symptoms to Elena, he’s crouched over his desk at an ungodly hour, fingers shaking as he attempts to get through more than half of his current project a higher-up had assigned him to.

The office smells of dull caffeine; the trashcan underneath the desk filled with small bottles of the coffee he purchased at the nearby store just hours ago. At that point, the slightest rays of sunshine peek from behind the heavy blinds. Something rings in his head; an annoying throb that makes him swallow. “Fucking shit,” he mutters, attempting to block out the throb with yet another play of the video so far.

There is scenery over the sound of a light piano in the background. He keeps his mind on the screen but his thoughts gloss over, the throb ebbing stronger and stronger to the point of him pausing the video and running his fingers through his hair. Ansel attempts to calm his breathing, attempts to remove the headset with shaky fingers and shakier hands. The caffeine in his system rejects the work done and his body feels on the verge of collapsing—

He hardly notices his shaking until the lights flicker on, and a pair of hands cups his cheeks, jolting him back. His vision sharpens immediately from the blurred mess it was. He sees Elena staring at him, her eyes a pool of worried blue and suddenly feels everything from the cold air on his skin to the warmth of her hands. He opens his mouth, tries to speak, but nothing comes out.

Machinery (2/?): A Transcendence Short

Oxbridge University
New York

United States of America

May 2113

Freya gave the desk an irritated few taps while Nico waited for the video call to begin. “What the hell is taking her such a fucking long time, doesn’t she understand that this is a shitty life-and-death situation?”

“Give the woman a break, she’s been studying for finals too.” Nico groaned. He redialed the other’s number on Skype and waited again, “As long as she answers, we’ll be good. We’ll be fine. We’ll be able to settle this without having to panic and eventually settling for the university counselor or some shit.”

“I’ll kill her if she doesn’t answer,” Freya started, but a small beep noise came from Nico’s tablet. The male’s brown eyes widened as he started at the screen and the wild-haired girl immediately scrambled to the bed, nearly knocking over the chair in process. “Salazar? Is that you?”

“What the fuck do you guys want?” an irritated voice came. Staring at the screen, Nico and Freya saw a very unhappy Marion Salazar staring right back at them, her hair tied up and a paintbrush in her right hand. “This better be important, I have a goddamn plate to do and then God-knows how many papers due within the next twenty-four hours.”

Stopping the lady from cussing them out any further, Freya decided that it was best for her (or Nico) to spill out the truth. Her mouth hardened into a thin line.

“Just…listen to us. It’s about Ansel.”

Machinery: A Transcendence Short

Perihelion Studios
New York City
United States of America
January 2121

“You have a really shitty dedication to work,” Marion noted. Ansel said nothing and kept working at his computer, typing at lightning speed while muttering some incomprehensible words under his breath. Marion assumed that they were very technical, video-oriented jargon. “When’s that even due?”

“It’s his long-term project,” Jae-hwang mused from beside Ansel. The Korean, whose hair was now dyed a brilliant shade of teal, watched as the spectacled male kept typing and typing as the seconds passed. “You should have seen him yesterday, M. He was nearly in tears when the fucking program gave him the rainbow wheel of death.”

(At the word death, Ansel gave a small, pathetic noise.)

“The program almost died?”

“Yup. Ansel was going to to start yelling if it weren’t for the program then choosing to spare him.” Jae-hwang paused, “I swear to God he backed up nearly all his files into the first two external drives he grabbed from his bag.” Despite the joking tone in his voice, Marion couldn’t help but give Ansel a worried expression.

Evening Out: A Transcendence Short

New York City

United States of America

December 2120

4:56PM

“Do you think we should postpone this?”

“Nah,” Ansel replied. He shifted the gear to neutral and leaned back, “We’re already on our way, Lena. And I don’t think the rain’s going to get any stronger.” At that moment, a flash of lightning hit the sky, making the twosome jump in the seats of Ansel’s car. The movement of it caused Ansel’s glasses to fall onto his lap.

“…you were saying?”

“It can’t get any worse,” Ansel repeated. “It can’t get any worse at all.” the stoplight flashed green and he shifted to drive, then continued on. 

It was Elena’s post-birthday dinner. She had invited a couple of their friends to go out, and currently, they were (still) on their way to a place Elena had personally picked. Initially, there was some trouble with reserving for the place, as Elena had experienced, but they were able to book a free slot. 

Elena’s phone rang in her hands, and she looked at her screen before answering. “Luke?” 

“Hey, we’re already here. And by we, I mean Rayne, Jae-Hwang, and I,” the blonde answered. Elena blinked. “Uh. The place looks full as shit, El. Are you sure we’ll be able to get a table for all of us?”

“I fucking hope so,” the brunette sighed. “Wait — you, Rayne, and Jae?” 

“Yeah, the three of us are just here and waiting.” 

Elena pursed her lips. “I was only able to book a slot…” she mumbled a quick ‘hold on’ and fished for the paper she had in her bag, “I was able to get the six o’clock slot for us. W31. Do you think you three can watch out just in case Ansel and I get late?”

“We’re not going to be late!” Ansel retorted, still driving. Elena gave a snort. 

Luke laughed. “Yeah, I think that’s possible. We’ll see you soon?”

“Definitely,” Elena agreed. “See you.”

Aesthetic Closer: Transcendence

"Maybe there’s a universe where I’m the right person for you."

Character Aesthetics: Marion Salazar

"The world is nothing without art."