“Mic check one two one two! Broadcasting at you live from our very own underground pirate radio station!”

HONMOON RADIO!!!!!!!!

“With ethereal sounds so divine, it spirits you away from all the nasties haunting your brain! I’m your roguishly handsome dj, Professor B, but between us, you can just call me Bobby. We’re bouncing to you live with our sweet sounds from the speaker in your basement to your neighbours’ phone. We’re everywhere, baby, and whew, what a day do I have for you today!”

“You better crank up that dial and open those ears cause what I have for today is a chart topper that’s been making waves all across our fair city, Neo-Seoul. Baby, we’re gonna need a lifeline if all the noise I’m getting is true!”

“Are you all strapped in? Seated with your ears set to listen? We’re taking a trip down to ‘What the fuck’-ville and I’m not turning this car around ’cause one of you forgot their sunglasses.”

“Neo-Seoul, our beloved city settled in the heart of United Korea, is facing a monumental crisis 20 years in the making. Expression. The arts. Our culture. Our very soul is under attack! Crackdown after crackdown of buskers, artists, and ordinary people like you and me are being made as we speak. Businesses are being closed. Songs and art are being churned to mush or so locked up tight, you’d think its Fort Knox. And the cherry on top? Historic sites and cultural centers being closed off or even demolished to make way for their so called modern age. Pfft, as if we weren’t already.”

“Who’s responsible? Well, that ain’t hard to find out. He needs no introduction cause the closets of skeletons he has in his mega mansion are just rattling with the truth! It’s the man, the devil, the twisted incarnate of pride and shame, Gwima. Brrr, I get the chills whenever I say his name. I can say the same for all the power he holds in his very fingertips as he’s sticking those fingers in every slice of the pie. Government programs. Law enforcement. Education. You name it, you bet that Gwima and his corporation has found their way to swindle their way into it.”

“You’d think a man would be satisfied with just a full belly and a stiff drink, but Gwima’s out to demolish the whole buffet and leave us with nothing, not even scraps. He’s dead set on becoming a major player in the political field, and with all the laws he helped throttle through, I’d say he’s got a bright future ahead of him. Word on the street says that he’s aiming for the very tip of iceberg and that something big is going down at the Future Expo later in the year. I can’t tell you what it is but I can say that whatever it is, it can’t be any good.”

“And when it rains, it pours cause I’m not done yet. Today marks the 20th anniversary of the official break-up of Neo Seoul’s very own global sensation, the late and great, and brightest talents of all of Asia, the Sunlight Sisters. With the death of Ryu Miyeong, she left behind two grieving sisters in all but blood, and, if the rumors were true, a child. Imagine that? At the top of the world with songs going multi-platinum overnight and an army of fans at their fingerips, thinking nothing can stop them. All it took to topple their rule were two bullets.”

“After that, the two sisters disappeared into the annals of history and things haven’t been the same since. Almost overnight, Sunlight Entertainment and its conglomerate of studios collapsed and been chewed and spat out like a bad corndog. Now that I think about it, Gwima’s rise to power started up almost the exact time they disappeared. Can’t be a coincidence, can it?”

“Now enough of that doom and gloom! I don’t just peddle in bad news. I’m DJ Professor B, baby, and that’s not my M.O. If you happened to check that little phone of yours, you might have seen that little message sent out to ALL of Neo-Seoul.”

“OOOH, that just gets my blood pumping! Who could’ve sent it? The Sunlight Sisters? Why after all these years? An enthusiastic fan? Then they better square up with the best lawyers they could find? The government? Well, they played their little masquerade but I don’t think they realize what they just set off!”

“All across the boroughs, rough streets, and highway hovels that make up our beloved city, a fire has been lit that has brought back a spark of our life back. Artists new and old surged out and staked their claim to prove their worthiness against the sunlit throne, defying Gwima’s intrusion into our souls. Our own little Prometheus moment, just minus the liver eating.”

“Its a music and graffiti-filled rebellion against the powers-that-be and we’re not going away anytime soon. We leave behind our legacy with every note, every tag, every dance! We ain’t scared and we got more from where that came from so just try it!”

“And that ain’t all! Looks like competition is brewing that’s stirring this every deepening pot. The deets? The artist or group who can claim all the territory in Neo-Seoul, or in other words, go All City, is crowned the inheritor of the Sunlight Sisters’ legacy. Simple right? Please, if it were that simple, then we would’ve gotten one yesterday! It’s a cutthroat competition and already, many a solo artist or group have been beaten. Already, we’re seeing factions form, alliances made, diplomacy fail, and backstabs aplenty. Gwima and his group of lackeys may try to stop us but this is our stage now, and we, the players will show them all.”

“And what players we have! I gotta put out a special mention to two players that have been making waves ever since the very start and haven’t stopped since! And can you believe it, they are the few remaining solo artists remaining that haven’t been dragged kicking and screaming into forming a group like the SAJAs.”

“Our first one is what happens when the West meets the East. An energetic fireball spitting mad bars and even madder turtle facts. Don’t let her cute looks fool you, she can take you down in a blink all with a smile on her face. She’s the half-blood princess of rap carving her slice of territory onto Neo-Seoul with an energy often seen in lightning! Its the one, the only!”

ZOEY CHOI!!!!!

“Now our second one, ooh you’re going to love this. A bonafide rebel ever since the young age of five. Estranged outcast to a family of old money but don’t let that fool you. She’s a rose with many, many, thorns that can and will hurt you if you try to touch her. She’s the graceful black swan of the illustrious Hong family whose been masterfully dancing her way through Neo-Seoul. The triple threat with an attitude sharper than her dancing skills. You know her. You love her!”

MIRA HONG!!!!!

“Now, you know how it goes in a story. If there’s a player, then you gotta have some enemies and these two are no exception. With their stellar reputation, not only are they top marks for any wannabee artist to shoot up the leaderboard, it looks like Gwima has got his eyes on them too. An increased presence of law enforcement agents have been noticed hanging around their territory lately and if the information I got is right, then the Demons are out to play.”

“Stay inside, kids, and lock those doors tight cause the Demons are no joke. Special ops funded by Gwima and his corporation, they make life as miserable as an empty ice cream box. They’ve been taking down and taking in any and all ‘suspects’ in their investigations and their enforcement of the law. Not to mention that their captain is one fierce tiger. One look at her long purple braid and fierce mask is all it takes to make you crying back to momma. Don’t know their face though. Gotta be ugly that only a mother could love.”

“I have a feeling Neo-Seoul is gonna be shaken up these next few weeks and its my duty as your dutiful DJ to make sure you stay tuned with my enchanting beats. Who will claim the legacy behind the Sunlight Sisters? Who will keep fighting the good fight? Will Gwima devour us all with his Demons? Stay tuned!”

HONMOON RADIO!!!!!!!!

It’s another beautiful day in Neo-Seoul. The sun is shining down with a near artificial quality of beauty with nary a cloud in sight. Crowds of people are coming and going through the grav-car filled streets and mag-lines threading through the high-rise labyrinth of the entire city. With all the suit and ties as far as the eye can see, you’d think there was some big business conference with major deadlines due yesterday. Nah, that’s normal. Normal people working normal jobs living a normal life.

It’s so BORING!

Where’s the laughter? The excitement!? You can’t tell me that you’d look at a spreadsheet and say ‘This is the best thing I ever made.’ C’mon! Why not live a little? Go outside the city. Feel the wind rushing across your face. Tag a wall or two! Just, don’t do it anywhere near mine, okay? I have a rep to keep.

Where am I going with this? I had a point…Oh, right! Ahem, your attention please! Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself. My name is-!

“THERE SHE IS! GET HER!”

Aw, barnacles. Can’t a girl introduce herself in peace?

I turn around from my rooftop perch overlooking my slice of the horizon to a sight that is not as easy on the eyes. It just couldn’t be an easy day, can it? One…two…three…ugh, too many black and white clad goons of Neo-Seoul’s ‘finest’ are all huddled together in a line blocking the only doorway on the rooftop. They even busted out some of their finer toys and had a few hover cars in place above them.

Wow, sure am popular today.

Alright, maybe I can smooth talk my way out of this…, “C’mon, you buncha lugs, what did I even do? Can’t a girl stare at the horizon like any anime ever? Is that a crime!”

One of the goons near the back of the line peaked his head out of the crowd and shouted, “Are you serious? Then explain that vandalized wall right there then!”

He points somewhere vaguely to my right and wouldn’t you know it, there just so happens to be a beautiful mid-sized art of an over-sized cartoon and stylized leatherback sea turtle on the wall. It even had a baseball cap on its head twisted all the way back and a spray can clutched in its mouth spraying roaring blue waves on the otherwise dull, grey background. 10/10. No improvements needed.

“What, that? It was there when I got here.”

The same goon moved to speak but another, older, and clearly senior goon stopped him before he ran his mouth. Strike two for not getting anymore fun...The senior goon displayed a holo-paper from his fancy-schmancy wrist watch and stated with no emotion whatsoever, “You are under arrest for violating the Neo-Seoul Public Safety Act and causing a public disturbance. We are authorized to use force as necessary to allow compliance. Come quietly and you will be given a fair trial.”

“HA!” The sharp laugh that erupts out of my mouth couldn’t be obtained any longer at the bold-faced attempt farce at diplomacy. “Please. That’s a load of hogwash and you know it! I would be sooner be placed in Alcatraz then be given a quote-unquote fair trial.” I snap my fingers and shoot little finger guns at the lead goon. “You gotta try harder than that. Have you considered letting me go because I’m a sweet and lovely citizen?”

“No.”

“Aw, c’mon!” I dramatically slump and wave my arm limply at the goon’s direction. “I thought we had a good thing going!”

“No. Now come quietly or we will be forced to respond with force.” Oh, I don’t like how they all bristle at that last word. I dart my eyes side to side down the line and I can easily tell that the mood shifted. Some even brought out their stun batons and began thumping them on their chests or hands. Jeez, they’re like piranhas.

“You make a compelling offer,” I slowly walk away from the now approaching line of officers with my eyes trained at the lead and never turning my back towards them. When I feel the heel of my right sneaker thump against the raised edge of the rooftop, a thousand mega-watt smile grew on my face and I say with all the grace of a fickle 10-year-old kid, “BUT NAH!”

I tip backwards over the railing and close my eyes. I tune out the surprised shouts (Ha, works every time) and only focus on the euphoria of the rushing wind brushing past my face and the rhythm of my heart keeping pace with the music blaring out of my headphones.

The wind feels like a coat of refreshing cool air on a hot summer day where any patch of exposed skin shiver in both anticipation and adrenaline.

OOOH, I can’t get enough of this feeling. It’s like they say, do it once and you’re hooked forever. Kids, don’t try this at home! Leave it to the professionals (i.e. ME! I’m the professional, no matter how I look).

You’d think I would become the latest news on Street View but as it just so happens, there’s a mag-rail track that’s just within reach of the building that I can catch.

I finally open my eyes and with an ease born from long practice and playing hooky (sometimes) from school, I tuck my legs into my chest to allow myself to go into a roll. At the same time, I grab the greatest skateboard of all time (it has pictures of turtles and sharks and...) from my back strap and slap it onto my feet, mag-locking it and priming the main booster on my back.

Alright, NOW OR NEVER!

THROOM!

The jet engine roars to life, causing me to soar through the air. I couldn’t resist the temptation and executed and did not one, not two, but THREE front flips using the forward momentum of the thrust and by grabbing the front end of my board.

The blood rush doesn’t end there. By the end of the third flip, I land neatly onto the exposed railing, crouching low from the force of gravity, and use my momentum to flip onto a handstand, effortlessly lifting myself by my hands like no tomorrow! I let myself hang upside down on the grind for a good 5 seconds before rolling back on my feet and launch myself off the railing before it ended at the barricade. And wouldn’t you know it, there is a cluster of three gigantic billboards in front of me that mark downtown!

There advertising something on all three of these jumbo pieces of corporate who-ha but I couldn’t really bring myself to care. Honestly, I don’t even need four different vacuums! What am I going to do with them anyway? Pick up rocks? Nah. Ooh! In fact, I think these boards are going to need a face lift pretty soon!

I catch all three in a seamless wallride, jet boosting and twisting all the way like a human-sized hurricane, and man can I feel my heart pumping! NO ONE CAN CATCH ME NOW!

“WOOOHOOO!”

Ooh, now’s my chance! The name’s Zoey Choi, the 21-year-old rapper and skateboard wonder born and raised in the concrete streets of Burbank, California but moved here about 5 years ago to Neo-Seoul to discover my roots. Turns out soul-searching involves dodging crooked officers, accidentally inhaling too much paint fumes that a normal person probably shouldn’t be exposed too, and filling out pages upon pages of song lyrics.

And no, before you ask, I am not letting you know where my songbook is! Writing music is letting your soul be laid bare and I’m not doing that to you no matter how much you pay me!

Just kidding, if you pay me like a million bucks than we can probably work something out.

ANYWAYS, ahem, growing up, I listened to a lot of Sunlight Sisters to the point that I was a mega fan. I had their posters, merch, and all their albums that I could scrounge up using money that I begged my parents for. Their music...it inspired the half-american, half-korean girl that there was something out there and more for her here.

That’s why I’m here in Neo-Seoul. I’ll be the one going All City. If someone’s going to uphold the Sunlight Sister’s legacy, its me. No one’s going to stop me.

After a few more turns and some interesting detours to practice some tricks, I finally made my way back to my hideout hidden away in the industrial boroughs of inner Neo-Seoul. As per Zoey Choi custom, I made my way to my hideout’s guardian mural to salute a hard day’s work of standing guard at the entrance.

Except when I got there, what I saw wasn’t my mural.

Instead, it was a soaring black swan painted over mine.

“Took you long enough. I was getting bored.”

“Don’t you know you don’t keep a lady waiting like this?” I called out from my perch on the metal girder overlooking both the entrance and the now gawking girl. “How rude. And here I had high hopes in finding an equal in this city-wide competition.” With a click of my heels, my roller-blades materialize from under my soles with a solid pop. Without hesitation, I gracefully flip off the metal girder and land on one of the many slanted and broken railings littering the ground. I grind on them with a satisfying screech, circling the other so-called acclaimed solo artist like a bird of prey on carrion.

I take the time to size up my prey. She seems shorter than me, younger than me, but if what Bobby said on the waves is true, has the skill to punch way above her weight class. I can’t underestimate her. I glance at the jet strap on her back and her board in hand; clearly loved and used but no less effective.

She’s dressed for the occasion too. She’s wearing a shining green windbreaker vest unbuttoned over a black under-armour long-sleeved shirt with its sleeves rolled just below the elbow and the shirt cut to show off her stomach. To match, she’s wearing loose dark green parachute pants that cut just above her ankle and white sneakers that were whirling around trying to keep in pace with me (Ha, good luck with that). To finish it off, headphones were clamped snug over her ears – an engineering feat with how big her two space buns are – and a transparent green visor inlaid in an orange frame covering her brown eyes.

I give her outfit another once over and raise an eyebrow. Ah, she’s probably an air junkie too.

Though I can’t say I’m much better. I’m wearing my very own sleeveless, all black leotard crop top that exposes my midriff that I then pair with my black leather fingerless gloves studded with lead along my knuckles. For the bottom half, beige cargo shorts cut just above the knee are the way the go. They offer deep and numerous pockets, comfortability, and the luxury of showing off my lithe and athletic legs that I worked hard for.

I finally had enough of fun grinding circles around the girl. I pirouette off the rail and smoothly slide to a stop just in front of her, not hesitating to add a body roll and pop to the end. I angle my face downward with a menacing tilt, raise another judging eyebrow, and place a hand on my popped hip.

Baby, if looks could kill, I would have had to call a closed casket funeral.

“You’re Zoey Choi?” I drawled on the name like a student too bored to answer a question. In response, the other girl narrowed her eyes and with the heat that’s radiating off the other woman’s body, is sharpening her eyes into daggers ready to kill her. Hmm, maybe this won’t be a lost cause after all. I deliberately rake my eyes over Zoey and smirked, “I was expecting someone taller. Didn’t think my solo artist rival on the charts would be this tiny.”

“Excuse you, I’m at least 5’2!” The 5’0 lady angrily pointed a finger at her face and bared her teeth like swords to battle. “And you must be Mira Hong, the other solo artist riding around trying to go All City. Thought you were on the other side of the city?”

I flick my long purple hair and stare Zoey down. “You got it in one. I’m Mira Hong. And you’re right, I was on the other side of Neo-Seoul doing my own thing but I figured I scope out more of the competition, so to speak. The ones near my territory aren’t exactly doing it for me anymore.”

“Doubt those small fries can even try. They’re too busy trying to survive the day-by-day to tackle any big fish like you.” The smallest concession of a nod from me is all that she would give Zoey. Looks like she isn’t the only one scouting out potential threats. “And another thing, how did you find this place? This is my secret hideout and your trespassing!”

“Oh no, whatever will I do?” I let out another sarcastic drawl and roll my eyes at her. “Please, as if this place wasn’t that hard to find. Figured if it was this easy to find your spot, then I could just tag it and claim it as part of my territory.” Now it is my turn to flash my own threat – I raise my chin and let out a small hmph, “Pretty sweet place you got, though. I’ll give you that. More than enough places for me to practice my rollerblading.”

“No way!” Zoey crosses her arms in an exaggerated X. “I found this place first and tagged it with my mural! You stay wherever but not here!”

I jab my thumb to the side and point to the mural covered by my own guardian mural, the black swan. “You mean that one? I think that black swan is mine. What is yours anyway?” I let the poker face break a bit as I am very confused at the anthropomorphic creature hidden underneath my swan. “I heard you like turtles but what is that thing? Its like a weird dj turtle thing and I don’t know any species that have orange dreads and a dvd for a brain.”

Zoey gasped so loud that I thought she broke her lungs with the amount of air she inhaled. “That’s Gwappamon and you better put some respect on his name!”

Now I’m really confused. “What’s a Gwappamon? Is that, like, your fursona or something?”

“I...you...what...UGH!” Zoey rapidly steps away from me in either digust, confusion, anger, or any combination of the three. What, did I say something wrong?

She takes a few deep breaths to control herself before she dramatically points a me with the most serious expression I’ve seen. She opens her mouth and shouts, “You disrespect my mural and tag my home!? I’m not gonna take this lying down! I challenge you, Mira Hong, to a duel!”

My poker face bleeds away at the declaration and now only excitement remains. Now this is what I’m talking about! I cross my arms and turn my entire focus towards Zoey. I say with barely restrained anticipation, “You sure you want to do that?”

Zoey rolls her neck and stares at me like I’m the prey here. She says with steel in her words, “Positive. I know the risks and I respect it. Besides,” She then has the sheer audacity to slice her thumb across her neck and jab a thumbs-down at me with an impish smile, and finishes with, “I’m not the one who’s skipping town after I win.”

I bristle at the insult but I steel my own expression before anything else gives me away. I feel myself giving a prideful smirk of my own and say, “Confidant, aren’t you? Terms?”

“Graffiti race.” Zoey says with zero hesitation. She points to the right at one of the abandoned skeleton of a building where each floor had varying degrees of completion. Some had rigging just outside the floor while others had layers of insulation gutted open after years of neglect and erosion. “First one to reach the top of that building and tag the flag with their guardian mural wins.”

I squint and, sure enough, I see the faintest flickering of a frayed green flag billowing in the wind. I click my tongue in annoyance. Does this girl know something about subtlety or subterfuge? I mean, respect for her to stake a claim as big as this but is she trying to get caught? Seriously, I know I said that this place isn’t hard to find but any chopper in the sector could pick up that flag! It’s a miracle that they haven’t patrolled this area. Wouldn’t want any officer to bring the hammer down on them here, no matter how incompetent they are.

“Alright.” I’m already stretching my legs and upper body to limber up. After seeing the building, my mind is racing on routing the most optimal way to do this. Zoey picked well. She has the homefield advantage, the skill, and experience to zip through that building like nothing.

But I haven’t made it to where I am today without challenges. That’s what this whole competition is anyways, just one big challenge. The Sunlight Sisters carved their own path, their own destiny with their own two hands and with no one to control what they did. They did what they loved and through their efforts, demanded respect from the prestige of their accomplishments.

And me? Good little miss Mira Hong? My life early on was just a mold being poured with whatever dear old mom and dad decided to make me the prim and proper princess they so desired. The one and only dress-up doll being thrown at beauty pageants and galas to enhance the family name. The marionette with too many strings being pulled everywhere at once with no regard for her safety.

They wanted a subservient peacock. All poise and no substance that, in the end, would strut to make others fall to theirs knees and beg. All to wrap them around their finger and do as they are told.

What they got instead is an ugly swan. Ugly, disgusting, revolting in temperament but underneath it all, the elegance, poise, and a newfound purpose to discover who they really are.

Leaving them had been one of the easiest (and deep down, hardest) decision of my life. Here I am in Neo-Seoul for almost 8 years making my name, Mira Hong, mean something to me. It wasn’t all honey and roses, but I never felt more alive than ever in my life. Showing up posers who think that they can beat me in dance. Taking down incompetent artists who think stringing together two words and a tagline make them great. Knocking down the peg of any who want any of this. My life never felt any better.

Until now. After all this time, THE Sunlight Sisters issue a challenge as enticing as this? I just had to join in. I’ll show them. I’ll show them all. I’ll take my life and destiny with my own two hands and carve a path without any strings on me. That’s why I’m going to win and go All City. “If I win, I claim this area as part of my territory.”

“And if I win, I claim back what is rightfully mine AND take what’s yours.”

“Hmph, I accept these terms.”

“Catch me if you can!” Zoey stuck her tongue out like the mature lady she is before she blasts away with a sudden burst from her jet booster on her back. She rushes past Mira like a bad rumour before she disappears into the worn concrete wilderness of her turf.

Not wanting to be outdone, Mira enters the fray as well with a perfectly timed rocket boost from her skates onto an angled girder. She crouches low at the start, feeling the familiar lurch of going 0 to 100, before she catches the edge of the girder with the smooth poise of a painter laying a delicate brush to canvas.

Not even a subtle thump could be felt from landing on the metal. She feels the speeding rush of air surrounding her as, finally, she clears the edge and she rockets up into the air. With no clouds in sight and the morning sun illuminating the sky, nothing could hide the bloodthirsty and ecstatic grin on her face.

Her launch allows her to make it through the open window of the third floor on another building. She effortlessly glides through the rows of empty desks and dodges the odd pile of debris filling the floor. She only then crouches low, angles her body, and extends her right hand’s fingers to brush the floor and sharply turn towards a fallen flag pole that’s still anchored to the floor and extends through a broken window. A broken window that just so happens to lead to a series of broken scaffolding and boards heading towards the main building with the flag on top.

With a small jump, she catches the flag pole on a grind and with an added thrust from her rocket skates, launches into the air and executes a series of wall grinds and rapid parkouring that leads herself to the main building.

Mira pauses for a moment to catch her breath but only just. She can’t afford to wait too long or else this race would be lost before she knew it. She is about to head out and swing herself up to the next floor before she hears the distinct screeching of somebody grinding on metal nearby.

The added woops and laughs that is distinctly not Mira narrows it down considerably on who it is.

Mira quickly peers out an opening left from empty window pane and scans her surroundings from top to bottom before she snaps her attention to the rapidly growing blur closing in from the bottom of the building. Looks like Mira is either more ahead than she thought she was or Zoey is being too careless in taking the scenic route. Look at her, already thinking she has got this race in the bag.

A wicked grin grew on Mira’s face as a plan soon begins to piece together in her mind.

Oh, she’ll teach that girl not to underestimate her.

“WOOOOOOO!” Zoey yells. She’s having so much fun! She kickflips over a pile of concrete and lands on the scaffolding railing on the other side. Using quickly timed bursts from her jet booster and superb balancing skills, she quickly rides up from the ground floor to the third floor.

“Ha ha! Eat my dust, Hong!” Zoey exclaims to the air. With no prissy princess in sight and only a few floors from the top, Zoey has got this in the bag! There’s no way that Hong can beat her at her own game, not when she knows this zone like the back of her hand!

She zips through the floor at breakneck speeds, casually re-tagging some of her old work she left on the abandoned desks and walls with a quick spritz of her patented spray can. What? Even though she’s in a race, she can’t just leave any of her old work to suffer! It would be unprofessional! Besides, how bad could it be to spend a few more seconds to re-tag?

After spraying the finishing touches to Starfy the Wonder Starfish, she makes her way to the stairwell where she knows that this is the only part of the building where it was decently maintained. Not sure why the construction crew would leave the stairwell semi-finished before even touching the other parts of the building but she’s not complaining at the slightest.

Plus, being the ever cautious Zoey Choi, she managed to rig a series of pipes and wood together to make a line that goes straight to the top from the fourth floor’s stairwell entrance. It may be keeping together with some duct tape and superstition but it hasn’t failed her yet! All her practice runs whenever she got bored is all for this moment!

She exits out of the fourth floor’s stairwell like a firework on the Fourth of July and is just about to reach the first transport line before her brain tells her that something is off. Two seconds later, she notices a bundle of pink hair just off to the side. One second after that, her skateboard lands on the line but it doesn’t stop there. The whole line crumbles and without any guidance from the rail-line, her momentum causes her to tumble and nearly eat concrete before skidding to a stop just barely from the window.

“Wuh?” Zoey smartly says. Her heads is spinning from both the blood rush and the hopefully-not-concussion she has from the rapid stop. “What happened?”

“Hahaha.” A sarcastic chortle snaps her attention back to focus, though it takes a few blinks to remove the black spots flashing her eyes. “That took like forever but damn was it worth it!” Zoey could only look on in horror as she sees Mira Hong standing above her like the titan she is and give a heart-piercing smirk to her mortified heart.

“What was it that you said earlier?” Mira just had to look at her nails before she snaps her hand shut and looks down at Zoey with a calculated eyebrow raise like the diva she is. “Oh right! Catch me if you can, was it? Well,” For some GOD-FORSAKEN REASON, Mira Hong leans down and taps (boops in Zoey’s vocabulary) Zoey’s nose with the tip of her finger. “Caught ya.”

Before Zoey could even begin to process all of that, Mira speeds away with a laugh and says, “See you at the top, Choi!” And like a ghost, Mira disappears with a puff of wind.

Zoey, naturally, doesn’t take this lying down.

“FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Without wasting a breath, Zoey gets back on her feet and shoots towards the ceiling where a protruding piece of rebar is hanging low in the air. She grabs it and with the herculean strength of a pissed off woman with a chip on her shoulder, pulls herself up through a nearby hole to the fifth floor.

Wasting no time, the moment her feet clears the floor, she launches herself forward and executes a series of gymnastic tumbles and flips from tables to ceiling lights towards another hole between floors. While this is not as stylish as Plan A, at least Zoey had the mind to have a Plan B.

Though it still sucks!

Mira couldn’t believe how well that worked. With just a few loose screws, the whole contraption that Zoey must’ve made fell apart and Zoey with it! Mira is going to savour that image of a confused Zoey just as soon she wins this little challenge.

She zips through the fifth, sixth, and seventh floor like no tomorrow and in no time at all, finds herself alone on a rooftop save for a billowing flag on a pole in the middle of the rooftop and a few barrels on the other side. Now that she’s here, she can clearly see the flag’s design and she has to admit, it does scream Zoey Choi. The flag itself is well-worn and looks like it would shred itself with a slight breeze but it still held on with sheer determination and what looks like amateur stitching. As for the flag’s design, it looks like Zoey’s chibified face raising the peace sign with both her hands over the background of a turtle’s shell.

Mira lets out an amused snort. “Wow, that girl really loves her turtles, huh?” She takes out one of her stashed spray cans and gives it a good shake. “Oh well, viva la Mira Hong.”

However, before she could take a single step, her ears catch wind of a piercing shriek that stops her in her track. She tries to make it out but another concerning thought begins to form in her head. It isn’t going away. Why isn’t it going away? Why is it growing louder!?

CRASH!

The barrels on the other side of the rooftop explode in a shower of splinters and pain. Mira could only look dumbfounded as what emerged is a definitely pissed off Zoey Choi wielding her own spray can like a bludgeon.

“Huh?” Now it is Mira’s turn to be dumbfounded. “Didn’t I just leave you in the dust? How did you get here so quickly?”

“Don’t ya know, princess?” Zoey wipes away some dirt off her cheek and gives a wicked stare. “I’m just full of surprises.”

“How cute.”

“Bitch, please, I’m adorable.”

The two stare each other down, spray can in hand. Neither of them making the first move. Mira’s eyes flicker from the flag pole to Zoey. Zoey just stares Mira down, not giving an inch.

The sun is blazing in the sky and the wind is all too perfect.

In the future, neither of them couldn’t agree on who broke first. Mira accuses Zoey. Zoey accuses Mira. Neither of them want to admit that they broke at the exact same time and made a mad dash to the flag.

Both mag-lock to the metal pole.

Both yell out profanities and curses towards each other.

Both ready their spray cans.

It’s neck and neck.

It’s Zoey!

It’s Mira!

It’s...!

BANG!

The top of the flag pole collapses with the flag coming down with it.

So sudden is the intrusion that both Mira and Zoey did not have time to course correct and collided with each other in a tangle of limbs and metal. They fell down together and landed back on the ground with a solid thump but with thankfully no physical injuries. Their pride, however, is another story.

“What kind of sabotage was that, Choi!” Mira yells out after scrambling away from where she landed with Zoey. “You rigged your own flag pole? Who does that?”

“That wasn’t me, Hong.” Zoey says, her voice carefully measured that Mira clocks in immediately. Mira notices the way Zoey scans the surrounding area and finds herself doing so as well. But what are they trying to find?

“Zoey, what’s going on?” Mira turns around, her back towards Zoey, as she readies her fists and falls into a brawler’s stance. Mirroring her is Zoey though instead of her fists, she readies her skateboard like a bludgeon instead.

“Zoey?”

“Mira, I think we’re in trouble.”

Goosebumps trail up Mira’s arms at the sound of that but before she could say anything, the air shimmers around them on the rooftop. Both Mira and Zoey hold their breath in as, if appearing from a tear in reality, heavily-geared individuals with blank face masks and a wide array of weaponry from firearms to stun batons shimmer into existence.

Both their hearts stutter at the sight.

“Demons...” Mira whispers with fear.

“There are so many...” Zoey adds. “How’d they find this place?”

Mira couldn’t help in her panic to default back to her sarcastic, prickly self, “Oh I don’t know, could it be the flag you decided to plant in the wide open?”

“Hey, I got to stake my claim somehow!”

“That’s what the murals are for!”

Zoey opens her mouth to fire back a retort but she snaps it back shut when the air shimmers directly in front of Mira and Zoey. What emerges is their worst nightmare and the boogeyman of Honmoon Radio.

An athletic, lithe figure steps out clad in lighter tactical gear compared to the other demons, and wielding a smoking rifle in their hands. Covering their entire face is the snarling face of a tiger, leaving nothing exposed save for the billowing braid of purple hair behind them.

It’s THE Demon. The Captain.

“Surrender.” They say succinctly, through the mask with their voice clearly modulated and distorted. “That,” The Captain jerks their chin towards the broken flag pole. “Is your only warning.”

Mira, wisely, shuts up. Zoey, however, does not. “OR WHAT! Will Gwima keep us locked up in his pit and drain us of our soul?”

Clearly, that is the wrong thing to say as all the Demons around them save for the Captain bristle at the mention of their employer. The Captain raises their hand and, as if answering some call or signal, all calm down at the same time with eerie synchronicity.

“Added charge verified: Speaking ill of Gwima. Guilty of all charges.” The Captain tilts their head, hearing something only they could hear, and Mira and Zoey swear that the lines etched into the mask flicker in their luminescence.

The Captain returns their attention to the two women and raises their rifle. They say with utter certainty with no emotion, “Take them in.”

Mira doesn’t think twice. Doesn’t hesitate. She takes Zoey’s hand and rockets past the Captain, past the surrounding Demons, and into the open air, taking Zoey with her.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!” Zoey screeches. Her free hand flails in the air, skateboard in hand, before some semblance of self-preservation latches on and mag-locks the board to her feet.

“GETTING OUT OF HERE, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE!?” Yells back Mira. “We can’t stay here, we have to go!”

“But my home!” Zoey tries to argue but quickly shuts up when a Demon launches at them from out of nowhere and tries to tackle them but a jet-propelled strike from a skateboard said otherwise. “Okay, okay, home is definitely a no go.”

“Thank you!” Both Mira and Zoey continue to rush through the air and the broken landscape of the construction zone now populated with Demons in numbers other competitors haven’t seen before. They launch, strike, shoot, and barricade to try and isolate and destroy the duo so that these rising stars in the cultural rebellion are put down.

The two aren’t going down lightly. Flowing in sync as if working together for years, they rush beside each other, covering each other’s backs, and in more than one occasion, came in the nick of time to save each other when one fell down or got cornered.

It’s a desperate race for survival. Mira and Zoey don’t know how many Demons are out there or where that Captain of theirs is. But one thing is for sure, they need to survive.

They’ve been escaping by the skin of their teeth but that could only take them so far. Sooner or later, they would get pinned and it would be game over.

Fortunately, Zoey had an escape plan.

“Through here!” Zoey exclaims, ducking her head under the crack of a whizzing stun round that flew just past her head. “We can lose them through here!”

Mira took one look at where they’ve been going and made a disgusted face. “The sewage lanes? Seriously!?”

Zoey pries off the grill over of the sewage lane entrance and looks back towards Mira, “DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER BETTER IDEAS!”

Seeing that the shimmering haze of emerging Demons have not been stopping anytime soon, Mira, reluctantly follows suit, shouting, “NOPE!”

Zoey quickly follows behind just before closing the grill behind them and kicking down the wall holding the emergency barricade that she had in place. The wall tumbles like a Jenga tower and the route seals behind them.

Now the only way through is forward.

“Woo, I think we lost them now.” Zoey says, an edge of exhaustion in her voice. “Man, I don’t I haven’t been as close to dying as that before.”

“Yeah, me too.” Mira replies, rubbing her arm where a Demon got a lucky strike in before Zoey blindsided him with her skateboard. “Didn’t think we’d make it actually.”

“Yeah same here.” Zoey ponders something before saying, “Say what do you think Gwima does to those he takes in? Does he, like, I don’t know, brainwash them or something?”

“I don’t really know.” Mira curls her lip in disgust before it disappears all too quickly. “All I know though is that they never show up again.”

“Dang, and here I thought they get a 5-star massage treatment.” Zoey quips but the bite isn’t there. If anything, there’s a tired acceptance in there.

They continue to walk and ride down the empty sewage lane with this odd sense of tension and peace between them. They remain silent for a while with the only sound coming from Zoey’s skateboard and Mira’s rollerblades. Some time passes before Zoey pipes up hesitantly, “Hey, uh, Mira?”

“Yeah?”

Zoey racks her jaw for a few moments before letting out a small huff and saying, “Thanks for, uh, thanks for the save back there.”

Mira keeps going, not slowing down in the slightest, but she tries to rack her brain for what specifically Zoey mentions. She pipes up with, “Which one? I saved your bacon back there more times than I can count.”

“Hey, same here!” Zoey fires back. “Don’t forget how many times I saved you back there as well.” She then goes quiet, mulling something over. A groan escapes her as she finally says, “But that’s not what exactly what I meant?”

Mira raises an eyebrow at that. She says, “And what exactly do you mean?”

“Back at the rooftop, where we were surrounded. I completely froze. That’s probably the first time in my life that ever happened. I couldn’t think of anything. Me, motor-mouth Zoey, couldn’t think of anything to get us out of there except make things worse for us.” Zoey bumps her fist on Mira’ shoulder, a sign of respect from the Western-raised girl. Zoey goes on to say, “But you’re the one who got us out of that rooftop.”

Zoey stops in her tracks with Mira following suit, and looks directly at the other woman and says, “What I’m trying to say is, thank you, Mira, for saving me.”

The look, the voice, the utter gratitude laced in those words does something inside of Mira. Her stomach flutters and a rush of embarrassment and, shockingly, contentment fills her face with red. Mira coughs into a fist and doesn’t dare look back at Zoey in fear of revealing something she shouldn’t but she does manage a small, “You’re welcome. You’re not too bad yourself.”

Zoey beams at that and soon enough, they both continue on their way.

“So where exactly does this lead us anyway?” Mira asks later down the line. “Anywhere special like a bunker or safehouse?”

“Pfft, what? You think I’m loaded like that?” Zoey fires back. “Nah, this just leads into city outskirts. Barely any people and business there and I haven’t really tagged there so law enforcement shouldn’t be on my case like last time.”

“What I do know though is that there is this new cafe there that opened recently. Super lowkey and out of the way but I hear the food is to die for from other competitors and-” Zoey continues to ramble on, filling the silence with her excited babbling. Mira listens with rapt attention, finding the way Zoey speaks with such passion endearing.

A shimmer from the corner of Mira’s eye catches her attention. Probably a gas leak or something.

“Word is that the cafe is actually a hand-me-down from the previous owner. Don’t really know their name, though. Same goes for the current owner but-”

Another shimmer. Mira clenches her fist. It can’t be...

“Ooh, what do you think you’ll get? Personally, I’ve been fiending for some bubble tea all week and if they have it, I think I might just get their entire-”

Another shimmer. This time with a crackling blue spot of light with it.

Mira doesn’t hesitate.

“ZOEY, RUN!” Mira once again grabs Zoey’s hand and bursts forward, narrowly dodging the stun beam aimed directly at where they once were. Emerging out of thin air with their entourage of Demons is the Captain with their rifle crackling blue with the shot they just fired.

“HOW’D THEY GET HERE! I BLOCKED THE ONLY ENTRANCE!” Zoey yells as she rushes past Mira and clears the way for her with a quick timed rocket ollie to a Demon’s face.

“Not the time to think about that! Just go!” Mira ducks under a beam fired from the Captain where it then strikes the ground near Zoey and two Demons who were trying to gang up on her. The beam strikes with such power that it cracks the ground, disorienting the two Demons from the force but not Zoey as she was protected from some of the blast courtesy of the now downed Demons.

Mira and Zoey ride for their lives. They duck, weave, and when cornered, strike back against the encroaching Demons and their terrifying Captain. Its all that they could do. The sewage lane is a straight line and the only thing protecting them is their luck and skill.

Zoey dodges another shot from the Captain, this time the beam colliding against a support beam holding up the roof. The beam collapses into a messy pile of debris that leaves a mess thankfully behind them. That should slow the Demons down.

Zoey looks around and racks her brain desperately. They’ve been riding and running for a while. They should be near the service entrance. Just gotta remember... Zoey’s eyes light up as she immediately snaps her attention to the a ladder and a grate on the far-left of the tunnel. She excitedly points at it to Mira, “There it is! C’mon!”

And not a moment too soon. They were halfway towards towards the exit before a crash echoes behind them. They don’t pause, for they already know what’s behind them. Stun rounds and in growing horror, actual bullets whiz past them in a symphony of brutality. To cap it off, beams of blue energy strike the ground near and around them, almost knocking the two of their feet. Plumes of dust, dirt, and debris get kicked up from the blast and surround the two in its embrace.

It won’t protect them for long, but they’ll take anything that they can get.

“C’mon, we’re almost there!” Zoey yells. She’s the first one to reach the ladder and like a mad squirrel, scampers up the ladder with terrifying speed and pops open the grate, not caring for the other side. She climbs through before turning back around and extends her hand through the hole towards Mira. “C’MON!”

You don’t have to tell Mira twice. She makes a break for it, bullets narrowly missing her in her mad dash to freedom. She reaches the ladder in no time flat. Matching Zoey’s energy, she scampers up the ladder but stops in fear as bullets crack against the concrete beside her.

“Mira, don’t stop! You have to hurry!” Zoey’s voice rattles in Mira’s brain but something else is occupying it right now. Primal fear. The stench of death. The cruelty of kindness. She’s young again. She’s 8 years-old again. She’s –

A blue beam knocks her out of her thoughts and almost off the ladder. She hangs on with just a thread as the bar attaching itself against the wall is on its last legs if the creaking is anything to go by. Mira risks a glance and she sees the Captain with their rifle raised, barrel crackling blue.

Mira gets pulled up before the beam blasts the entrance, collapsing it and the ladder so that no one can go through it again.

Mira’s heart is pounding. Ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump. She didn’t think her mind would go back there again. She shouldn’t have. It –

A fist knocking her on her left shoulder knocks her out of her spiral. Mira looks up at the gesture and sees Zoey with a weary smile.

“Now we’re even.” Zoey then lets out a tired sigh and falls flat on her back where the brown grass catches her. “Man, that was close. I never want to do that again.”

Mira couldn’t help herself. She lets out a tired but genuine laugh and falls right beside her, matching Zoey’s tired energy with her own.

They lay there for a bit. Catching their breath. Staring at the sky. Calming their hearts. They let themselves enjoy these small moments before Zoey pipes up.

“Soooo, you up to go to that cafe?”

I straighten the photo on the counter and wipe off the dust off the frame. There all clean and perfect. I take a look at the bedside mirror and fix the collar of my yellow work blouse and smooth out the wrinkle near the bottom edge. My blue jeans have no blemish and thus, require no extra care. Sneakers laced and tied tight to avoid accidents.

The twisting curls of my tattoos are just peaking out the edge of my blouse’s sleeves but that’s alright.

There we go. Ready for the day ahead.

“Bye, mom.” I whisper lovingly. “Bye aunties. I’m heading downstairs for work.”

I make my way downstairs from my cozy bedroom and into the expansive main floor where the lifeblood of my business has taken place. At this hour (and with the sign switched to CLOSED), there was no one here to disturb me as I took my time to clean up the tables, straighten the menus, lay out the cutlery, and all the other tasks that were a part of my routine.

Running this place by myself has certainly been a challenge. At first, I was like a floundering fish. I thought I knew everything after being taught by my aunt but wow, was I wrong. Interacting with customers, handling finances, requesting supplies, being front of house, it was all too much! Then, I slowly got the hang of it. Not to say everything went perfectly the first time. I still remember that angry customer that one day...

Regardless, that was then and this is now! I overcame those challenges and made this cafe what it is today! The Setting Sun. Don’t ask me about the name, I found it odd too, especially with how this place is catered towards the breakfast and lunch crowds.

But I couldn’t bear to change it. It was the name chosen by my aunties when they first opened the cafe and it just kinda stuck. Now that I’m the owner, I didn’t want to change the name. It felt like losing a part of history, you know?

I flip the sign from CLOSED to OPEN before I make my way towards the coffee machines at the back to get started. Almost always there would be customers who would order almost a pot’s worth in coffee and down it in one go.

Trust me, I’ve seen it.

After the first few times, I took the hint and always prepped multiple pots of fresh coffee just in case. Once the first set of pots were brewing, I made my way towards the kitchen where I began prepping many of the ingredients for the cafe’s more popular foods.

Eggs for the omelettes. Started the rice cooker for the many rice dishes I have such as the bibimbap. Fresh vegetables for the gimbap and more. Ooh, my mouth is watering at all the ingredients.

You have no proof that I snuck a bite! It was already gone to begin with.

Ahem, anyways, I continue on my morning duties before I hear the telltale RING-A-DING of my front door’s chimes signaling the day’s first customers.

“I’ll be right there with you!” I shout from the back. Hey, it might not be professional but I’m the owner and its been working out so far. I strain my ears to hear anything back but over the sounds of multiple coffee machines brewing, I could barely make out a reply.

Can’t keep them waiting for too long. I finish up the prep I had currently and make my way to the front. Safe to say, I wasn’t expecting my first two customers to be like this.

Hanging out at the front counter were two women who looked like they went through something rough. Dirt and smudges dotted their clothing and their faces and the way they dress! So unique. Come to think of it, there have been a recent influx of customers coming here who seem very similar to the two.

Anyways, out of the two, the shorter one kept bouncing between marvelling the decor and babbling at the menu I laid out earlier. The other one, the taller of the two, looked like a grumpy cat but stuck around for scritches and offerings of food.

“Hello! Welcome to The Setting Sun!” I say with as much morning cheer as I can muster. That snaps the two’s attention to her and something about her must’ve caught their attention as they were rendered speechless. Huh, probably not used to warm welcomes then. I see their eyes dart to my side and back to my eyes and it clicks. Ah, it must be the braid. Not too often you seen someone with a braid as tall as a person.

I walk up to the counter, give both of them a formal bow and introduce myself, “My name is Rumi, owner of this establishment. What can I get for you two today?”

The two kept silent, their eyes wide. I look between the two, curiosity growing. Huh, what’s got their tongues in the twist? I don’t look that bad, do I? Ooh, I know! Maybe a joke to break the ice. Auntie, did say to do that when things get too stale.

“What?” I let out a breathy chuckle. “Did you see a ghost? I’m not that dead, you know?”

They still kept silent.

Wow, tough crowd.