Chapter 15: Ch 15 –

The next morning, Issac woke up naturally with the sunrise. Or, it wasn't the sunrise, but the change in light of the miniature star. 

Issac remained in his makeshift bed for a while, staring upward. In this inverted moon, especially from the vantage point of the floating island, he could see the entire world. The massive castle, the other floating islands, the opposing landscapes with forests of steel and machine. 

The previous day almost felt like a dream. This seemed to confirm the reality for Issac. He was no longer on that little farm in some undeveloped colony. 

After gazing up at the world for almost half an hour, he pulled himself up. Going over to the stacked boxes full of his things, he pulled out some items to go through his morning ritual. 

Before he started though, his face scrunched up. He smelled.

"I need an actual shower. Dammit Anthony, you better be home."

Issac grumbled as he pulled out his terminal and sent Anthony a message. Anthony sent him the house's access code in response, and Issac took a flying car over. 

Walking into the large house, Issac showered, brushed his teeth, and freshened up overall. Though, he knew he would be getting dirty again soon.

After eating a breakfast delivered by drone and relaxing on a cushioned couch, he made his way back to the forest. There, Nifty had already started working again, and Issac joined. 

Stripping off everything except for boots and shorts, Issac got to laboring. He had set up the foundation for the house and its flooring. Now, he needed to get into the nitty-gritty details. 

He formed the outline for the ceiling after cutting more wood, he and his pilot suit working together to screw things in place. The joints between beam corners were a combination of interlocking with special cuts, gluing, and screws. Issac was sure to make everything high quality as he surely wouldn't be coming back to it later. 

When the outline for the roof was finally up. Issac then had to account for floors and the input that would go through the ground. It was the same for the walls. Luckily, he had planned everything out beforehand. 

With a clear goal and outline to fill, Issac just had to act. With the supplies he bought earlier, he headed over to the original plot of land that the previous house was uprooted from. 

Issac spotted several pipes meant to run utilities to the original house. They were all sealed off so as to not spray everywhere, and in order to tap into them, he would need to extend them and create shutoff valves to control the flow. Once he did that, he could run them through the ground and to his new home. 

Nifty was in charge of everything besides digging, which Issac got to work on. But since he was slow, Nifty finished before he did and stepped in to help. 

Hours of work were wiped away with the mechanized power of the pilot suit, and soon enough, the pipes were laid. 

The two then went to start on the flooring for the house, but after doing back breaking labor for a while, Issac couldn't help but take a break.

"Sheesh."

When it was a few hours past noon, Issac straightened his back and wiped his sweat. He looked at his house which still didn't even have walls and sighed. 

"Building a house is hard. If you weren't here Nifty, I don't know how long this would take."

Issac pet his cat that had trotted over. It could control the pilot suit personally and from a distance with wireless connections, so it usually just sat around watching Issac slave away. 

Letting out a long breath, Issac walked into the house. They had laid the floors, but now they needed to begin filling in the walls and dividing the rooms. 

It was a lot of work that made Issac want to just rest and give up for the day, but as he needed a house and didn't mind the productive work, he continued. 

As the pilot suit cut out more wood from the trunks, Issac began to anchor them to the ground and outline the different rooms. He only had a living space, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen planned out. The house was built with expansion in mind though, plus, what he had right now was really big. It was the same width as his farmhouse and even longer. It was easily 2500 square feet, more than comfortable for a single man. 

Whenever Issac would get tired, he would think about the end result of the house. He had it envisioned perfectly in his mind, and he became eager to complete it. He moved at a steady but fast pace, only breaking for eating and drinking. 

Before dusk came around though, Issac was suddenly interrupted. 

A flying car entered the airspace above Issac's island. Instead of passing by though, it stopped, lowering itself and opening its hatch. 

Issac quickly noticed, turning his head to the unexpected visitor. He expected it to be Anthony, but when he saw the figure that stepped out, his heart jumped out of his chest. 

............

Asphodel was pissed. 

"Idiots! Damn!"

Entering her house, she made her way down to her personal lab and kicked some scattered scrap metal. The lab was filled with all kinds of high tech machines, and in the center was a large mech several times her size. On one of the walls was also a pilot suit. 

"I ask for a single thing and they can't get it right after an entire day. Do you know what a guarantee means? It means you get the order right! Ugh!"

She stomped before planting herself into a chair, her white hair fluttering around with her sharp movements. 

"You're very emotional, sister."

A voice came from the stairs, and another girl entered the lab. She looked very similar to Asphodel, obviously her sister. Only, her hair was deep blue, contrasting against her red skin. She was also shorter by a head. 

"I'm not emotional! I just don't like it when people can't forge a damn conversion core."

"...The one you showed them had a completely unique architecture and was capable of handling a Yield of 34 thousand. I'm not surprised they failed given the custom order."

"It's not that hard."

"..."

The sister looked at Asphodel, narrowing her eyes before smirking a bit.

"You've been much angrier than usual."

"Have not."

"You met a guy."

"Did not."

"Last time you were smitten for a guy you destroyed your pilot suit after overloading the conversion core. You called it trash even though you spent two years working on it. So, who is he?"

"I'm not talking to you."

Asphodel turned and focused on her workbench, grabbing a gadget and ripping its wires out. 

At that moment, there was another shout.

"Asphodel! You have to see this! I know you might not like human guys, but this is gold!"

Another girl came running down into the lab. When she saw Asphodel's sister though, she froze up. 

"Oh, I apologize, Bareyla."

"No worries."

The sister, Bareyla, waved with a small smile. Asphodel turned to her friend who came running. 

"What?"

"It's nothing important, it can wait."

"Tell me now, please. I have nothing better to do."

Asphodel's gaze was dull. The friend just smiled wryly before walking over. She tapped the terminal in her hand at the same time.

"So, there's a newbie who tested into the rankings. He went straight to rank 99. His name was Issac, I believe."

"Issac? Issac who?"

Asphodel suddenly jumped, her gaze bright. Bareyla's eyebrow also raised, noticing the change. 

The friend was a bit surprised. 

"Uh, Exos, I believe?"

"Ah! I'll be back!"

As if finding hope in the world, Asphodel suddenly ran out of the lab. The friend just stood there as Bareyla ran with her. 

Asphodel immediately jumped into a flying car. Bareyla was right behind her, moving just as agilely, but Asphodel didn't care. She stomped on the pedal, sending the car flying. 

"Island 99... There!"

She steered and dove straight down. After passing by several islands, she arrived at the very bottom. 

She saw the forest of Island 99 and two clearings. Seeing what looked like the general outline of a house, she flew into the airspace. 

She was excited as the car got closer, landing on the ground. The hatch opened at the same time. When she saw a figure working with wood, she smiled. 

Though, she was also stunned. A shirtless Issac stood before her, one covered in sweat and grime that made her heart jump a bit.

........

"Ash?"

Issac was likewise stunned upon seeing the Aatrix who stepped out of the flying car. Deep down, he thought he'd never see her again, even if he had her number. 

But here she was.

"Issac! It's you! What..."

After shaking her head, Asphodel bounded over. When she realized what Issac was doing though, she stopped. She stood before the skeleton of a house. 

"Why are you building a house?"

"Because the other guy took it!"

Suddenly, Issac shouted in anger. He didn't plan on building a house, but here he was, slogging away and breaking his back to screw down giant pieces of wood. 

Asphodel's eyebrow rose.

"They took it?"

"Yea! There's a plot of land over there that's totally bare. The previous guy literally grabbed his house and left with it! When I came around, I had no house to move into! Now I'm stuck building my own."

Issac kicked a board, releasing bottled up displeasure. 

"Pfft..."

Asphodel suddenly stifled a chuckle. Issac crossed his arms and glared at her, causing her to break down. 

"Pahahaha!! Oh god! What is this, ancient times? Hahaha! Oh, I'm sorry, but you're actually building a house?"

"Hey, I'm doing a damn good job! I'm sorry if I'm not a spoiled child who lives in the Mantle."

"Wha..? I'm so not spoiled! And you literally live here too!"

"I slept in the dirt last night, so I would hardly call it living here."

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Issac snorted in rebuttal. He had made things as comfortable as possible, but sleeping atop hard ground wasn't nice.

Just as Asphodel started to laugh again, Issac looked behind her. Another person had emerged from the car, looking at him curiously.

"Who's that?"

"Huh?"

Collecting herself, Asphodel turned back and saw her sister. 

"Oh, that's Bareyla. My sister."

"You have a sister?"

"I'm not a spoiled only child like you."

"I'm not spoiled! I lived on a farm! Anyway, nice to meet you."

Issac stepped out down from the house after shouting as Asphodel, extending his hand toward Bareyla who walked over. 

She looked at his hand before smiling and shaking it.

"Bareyla. Nice to meet you. So you're Issac?"

"I am. I'm new here."

"Obviously. You're building a house. I'd say that hasn't been done since the Mantle was first constructed."

She smiled a bit and gazed at the work in progress. 

"I must admit though, for a single man's work, it's nice."

"Thank you! My cat helped a lot. Hey, why can't you compliment me like that?"

Issac elbowed Asphodel, causing her to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Compliment you? What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. My house is looking pretty groovy. It's probably better than yours."

"Groovy? Did you just say that?"

She looked at Issac with a weird smile. Then, she looked at the skeleton house.

"...You know what? It's the best house ever."

"Really?"

"Yea! Maybe a few touch ups here and there would liven it up a little. Surely once it gets some walls it could be better than mine."

She smiled and pat Issac's shoulder. When she raised her hand again though, she cringed. 

"Eww, you're sweaty."

"No duh. You want a hug?"

"No! Ah!"

"Come here, cupcake."

Issac smiled and lunged forward, prompting Asphodel to dodge with shocking reflexes. Issac laughed when she hid behind Bareyla. 

Bareyla frowned. 

"Don't bring me into this."

"Come on. You won't protect me from that sweaty man?"

"No. In fact, I'm gonna go home. I've seen all I need to."

Bareyla turned and walked to the car. Asphodel narrowed her eyes.

"Do we have to go now?"

"You don't have to go anywhere. I just want to go home."

"What about me?"

"Well, you seem to be having fun."

Bareyla smiled as she sat in the car, snickering a bit at her sister. 

"Spend some more time with your friend."

"Wha..?"

Asphodel stuttered as the car door closed, immediately flying off elsewhere. When it disappeared, she turned back to Issac.

He just stood there, unsure of what to say. Eventually, he pointed back at his house. 

"I was just gonna keep building..."

"You can't be seriously trying to build a house, right?"

"Does this look like something I would do as a joke?"

"...No, I guess not."

She drifted over, stepping up to the new floor and walking among all the wood beams.

"Why didn't you just ask for one to be built?"

"You think I have that money? I didn't get that much from my parents."

"Having a house constructed on the island is free."

"...Really?"

Issac looked at her dumbfoundedly. She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. 

"Are you trying to play dumb?"

"I'm not! Nobody told me about this! All I did was take the entrance test and I was thrown onto this island whose previous owner took the house with him. I wasn't about to ask my parents to buy me a brand new house, so I just started making my own! It's not my fault nobody wanted to explain what the hell was going on."

Issac kicked a board, obviously frustrated. He was being made out to be an idiot. While building your own house wasn't the first thing one would think of when getting to their island, Issac also didn't plan on being dropped next to a non-existent house. He really wanted to punch whoever took their house with them. Who does that?!

Asphodel sighed, patting his sweaty shoulder again. 

"Hey, it's alright. Nothing to get mad about. I can call a friend and you could have a new house built within the hour. Does that sound okay?"

"..."

Issac was silent. After a few seconds, he shook his head.

"No thanks."

"Huh? But you just said..."

"I know. I'm pissed that they took the previous house. But I'm also mad nobody told me anything. So I don't need no stupid fancy house that works. I'll just finish my own. It'll be better anyway."

"..."

Asphodel went silent as Issac squatted down. She watched as he began screwing in some more wood beams.

"...The orientation that kicks off the first day of school is in four days."

"Oh. Good to know."

"...So, how can I help."

"Help?"

Issac looked up, seeing Asphodel walk over and roll up her sleeves. She smiled at him. 

"What? I may not be a farmer, but I know how to use my hands. How complicated can building a house be?"

"...It's not really about complication... But alright. Hey Nifty. Show her the blueprints."

Issac waved, and the cat bounded over. After it hopped up on Asphodel's shoulder, its tail poked her neural interface. 

Suddenly, she received a cluster of data, and a 3d image was created in her vision. She could see the outline that Issac had been working to fill.

"Wow. Big house."

"I've just been filling in what I've already designed. It's laborious, not complicated. If you're okay with getting your pretty hands a bit dirty, then be my guest."

"Hm, alright."

She nodded readily, causing Issac to smile. 

Like that, she followed Issac's lead and helped him divide rooms. After that, he worked with the piping some more while she laid the wall panels. As he said, it was laborious, not complicated. Asphodel quickly broke a sweat. 

"Hey, fetch me one of your shirts."

"Don't you already have one of mine?"

"Not on me. Hurry up. I feel sticky in this thing."

Asphodel writhed uncomfortably. She was wearing clothes not at all suited for working in. He could understand, so he quickly ran over to his boxes and grabbed a shirt. 

After she stripped her own, Issac was momentarily speechless as he got a glimpse of her lithe figure. He caught himself as she threw his shirt on, going back to work. 

She smirked at him before continuing herself. With Nifty controlling the pilot suit, the three made great progress before night fell. 

 

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