The Earth After Rebirth

Chapter 5: Preparations

It was raining heavily in the afternoon. Kiro was walking back home. He had asked his parents to go on ahead in the car. He loved the smell of rain, beating on dry soil. So he didn't pass up the chance and his nose was grateful.

He also needed time alone. As much as he wanted to spend every waking minute with his family, he had a lot on his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was eerily strange. But he couldn't wrap his head around the eeriness. He was doubting that this was reality, his regression was way too suspicious.

'Tch. I guess I have to live and find out later. I hate being played.'

He walked on, taking in his surroundings. Even on rainy days like this, people from the lower district couldn't afford to lounge around, waiting for the rain to tone it down. The streets were as busy as they were in the morning.

The rain didn't do much to evolved humans anyway.

The population of the current earth was 500 million because of the great catastrophe that happened in the year 3000 which changed everything.

Nearly a thousand years ago, it's all recorded in the current history books. Some books claim it was ragnarok, literal gods were fighting for the spot to rule the universe.

Some say the earth's climate couldn't take it anymore so the continents broke into pieces of lands, that eventually got swallowed by ocean water. The people of the current earth have no idea which version is the correct one.

The only continent that somewhat survived was then known as Africa. And stress on somewhat, because even it didn't escape unscathed, most of its population was wiped from the face of the earth. Most of its land was intact though and its resources were usable for hundreds of years.

When the great catastrophe happened it quickly became apparent that the only continent that will survive was Africa. It was also a very specific location that wouldn't be affected, the upper part of the equatorial line.

The world prepared to migrate there but only a fraction were able to reach it alive.

Most weren't so lucky. Different races lived together for a thousand years, so everyone in the current earth is all mixed one way or another whether it shows or not. In this society the concept of racism didn't exist. Even though skin colours did vary.

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After some time, humans started to evolve the current humans were now much stronger and faster than their predecessors, which helped a lot when playing VR since it could be strenuous to normal humans if played for long hours.

Humans also gained something precious, biologically, humans could now live up to 170 years old. In this technologically advanced world it was rare for people to die of diseases.

Albeit that is the case, when you're 16-17 you must get a viral shot. The great catastrophe left the atmosphere in a bad shape, so to protect themselves, humans created the shot.

The African continent was renamed to Sanctauri, which meant 'a place of refuge' in some old language of the old earth. Sanctauri had a total of 3 "countries."

Sanctauri was seen as a country with those 3 countries just being bigger provinces. These provinces were bigger than the biggest countries in the previous earth. They all had their own schools, but the most prestigious of schools was Eden Academy. It was right at the centre of the 3 districts.

Most parents couldn't afford to send their kids to Eden Academy. Kiro's parents broke their backs to pay for him to get to this academy, a million creds (Sanctauri currency) per year, 500k creds per semester. That money was enough to last you a lifetime if you lived frugally.

Kiro entered his house soaked but somewhat happy.

'I'll have to take some of the tuition and buy a Head Gear, Pods aren't out until months from now anyway. By then, I'd have made millions in-game. I hope.' He thought while smiling blissfully.

The game didn't come out until a week from now. That's about the same time he'll have to leave for EA.

"I'm home." he announced as soon as he entered.

Immediately, Alora threw herself in his arms. She had been anxiously waiting for him to return. Kiro was worried now, what would she do when he's away at the academy?

"Whoa there Freckles. You're gonna get wet!" He said, taking off his shoes.

She comfortably settled on his shoulders. Hugging his neck with both arms. She clung onto him, so he just stayed with the wet clothes. It didn't even take 10 minutes, and she was fast asleep.

"She's 5 after all, the day must've been a long one for her." Freya said attempting to remove her but failed.

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Kiro spent the next week with his siblings. Freya and Sekani still had to work. They left before the little ones could wake up, and came back when they were already in bed. Though Kiro made it a point to wake up early making them breakfast, and waiting for them to return.

He vowed to do everything to lessen their burdens. Although this wasn't much, it wasn't much at all, there was a lot they were carrying on their shoulders and he just removed but a speck of it.

Though shocked by his behaviour, his parents were absolutely grateful.

The week was sweet and short. It ended so abruptly, not even Kiro was ready. Though he spent the week trying to convince Alora not to cry when he leaves, that he'll be back, he doubted it worked.

Kiro packed his belongings, which made him depressed when they all fit in a small backpack. There wasn't much to pack, they were poor and he didn't own much clothes. All his clothes were bought from thrift stores, they looked shabby.

This made Kiro more anxious, the academy was full of filthy rich brats. In his past life, he was bullied by them. Unbeknownst to him, living with his past memories in the present, having died the way he did, had changed the air around him.

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The next morning, he put on his best clothes, a navy semi formal trouser, black formal shoes, a black round neck shirt. He put on his chain that had two feathers as its pendant, one gold and another silver. It also had a silver padlock that didn't seem to have originally been part of it. He'd been given this chain at 5 years old by his grandfather.

It was a family heirloom, he was told. The chain was silver in colour, even though it was hundreds of years old it remained shiny. It had 'Waynworth' engraved on the two feathers. Kiro had never taken this chain off since receiving it, he only took it off when he had to shower.

His grandfather was a prominent lawyer in the lower district. He tried all he could to fight the corrupt governments, until one day he disappeared without a trace working on a case, his colleague tried asking questions.

But his body was found mutilated on the streets. As if to warn others who wanted to question the lawyer's whereabouts. That was more than 10 years ago. That memory laid forgotten at the back of Kiro's mind.

Kiro proceeded out of his room, he looked back, as if to say, 'We will never see each other again, thank you for the 16, technically 17 years.'

He still had 40 minutes left, the station was 10 minutes away from his house. He walked into the kitchen, to see his mum and dad dancing. It was a different kind of intimate, it was still awkward for Kiro. Who had never known a woman's touch.

He gave them a side-eye and wondered why they were in such a good mood, was it because he was leaving? Happy they'd have their room all to themselves?

"Ahem—" He started by clearing his throat, but they didn't stop.

"What is it?" Freya asked.

"Could you, if you're not that busy, give me a haircut? Just a little trim, tactfully please."

"You're trying to charm those rich girls aren't you? Well, don't do anything stupid, I'm not expecting a grandchild out of you yet." his mum advised, she couldn't even contain the smile that was already forming.

"Ma!!!"

She giggled, anyone could tell she was genuinely happy to tease and embarrass her eldest son. She didn't really mind if Kiro wanted to marry at this age, because she and Sekani married at 18 too.

"You're a handsome boy. The spitting image of your dad, if he managed to charm me, there isn't a girl you can't charm." She said in an almost serious tone.

Kiro looked at his dad pleadingly, "Your wife is bullying me, do something."

He shrugged and said, "Take it like a man!"

Kiro sighed with a smile, and sat down so his mum could get started on the haircut. In the past he ignorantly blamed his parents for their poverty stricken lifestyle, so he never tried being close to them. This is a conversation that never happened in the past, his heart felt like it was walking on the clouds. He was happy.

His parents didn't own a car, so he'd have to walk to the train station, and seeing that he didn't have much luggage, he had to do it alone.

Contrary to popular belief in the past earth, the unevolved humans, believed that the future would have hovering cars. But that's not the case. There was no hope that they would ever make some either.

The future was VR gaming anyway. The realism was astounding, watching gameplay was akin to watching a film. But it was so expensive that anyone from the lower district couldn't afford the gear or pod. Most those who played in the lower district used public gaming rooms.

Most of everything from the previous earth got lost during the catastrophe, only a few things survived. This world didn't know much of the previous world, how they lived, what they believed in. Some books and films survived. That made the current world's knowledge about the previous world extremely limited.

Despite that, there were things that were passed down. Things that Sanctauri practices as a country. Like governments, social standings, the poor and the rich. There were some, cultural sameness' too. Though it was an amalgamation of many.

Freya only needed 20 minutes, and she was done. He looked in the mirror. 'Ma could really be a professional hairstylist.' Kiro thought to himself. His curly hair wasn't so easy to groom, but his mum did it like it was nothing.

In his past life, his confidence was so lackluster. So much that he never groomed himself, he'd always walk downcast at the academy. Trying to keep himself lowkey. Walking for the sake of it, thinking 'let this be over already.'

But this time, a wolf cub was born the moment he was reborn, he knew he couldn't act less than a rich young master.