"Just five more minutes..." Tina said in a half sleep voice as the sun licked her face. Contrary to most of the people who used to live in the gacity, waking up to the sun wasn't a rare occurrence to her as she lived on the pent house of one of her father's buildings. She also had the entire floor completely to herself and just her walk in closet was the size of a regular apartnt.
Because of her past way of living, it took her a couple minutes to realize that she wasn't in her penthouse anymore and that the sun hitting her face didn't bode well for her.
"Who took my blanket!?" She asked in fury once she realized the blanket that perford as a tent on her makeshift shelter was gone, but no one replied. The place was beyond crowded, thousands upon thousands of people inhabited the sa floating island as she did yet no matter how many tis she asked, no one seed to have seen anything.
Stealing from a heavenly rank hunter like herself was a risky ga, one that the many slum dwellers that also evacuated the gacity weren't afraid to play. To them, risking their life to live in better conditions was nothing but their literal daily bread as they sotis had to fight tooth and nail to live to see another day.
Tina Celes, the heir of the Celes company was now completely by herself and for the first ti in her life she was nothing but a number among many. Her past wealth, her pretty face and even her heavenly rank ant little to nothing in the floating islands. Money was aningless when there weren't any shops get groceries at, food or even water.
Her looks did give her an edge and she knew she could probably get a free al here and there, but the very few people who had enough food to splurge wouldn't part with it with just a date. She knew this because she had been receiving the sa kind of indecent offer over and over in the past few days, but her morals prevented her from doing sothing as low as selling her body.
Hunger as people knew it was nothing compared to what hunters experienced when their bodies couldn't keep up with their flux consumption. Everything they did costed them energy and that energy had to co from sowhere. Without food, a hunter's body would rebel against itself causing pain, cramps and fainting spells that would eventually lead to death.
Tina knew full well the effect of food deprivation on a hunter's body, though not because she ever experienced it but because of her tutor.
Phil always scolded her for going on a diet in order to keep her hourglass shape, but she never paid any mind to his warnings and always thought it was pointless to keep a fat reserve for a rainy day since she couldn't fathom sothing like that ever happening to soone as privileged as her.
Now she was poor among the poor, even worse, one of the very few possessions she still had was now probably in the unscrupulous hands of a dishonest person and Tina wondered what did she do to deserve this kind of fate. She was always loved by the masses and people would taphorically kiss the ground she walked over, but now no one even bothered telling her who stole her blanket.
Although in a sour mood, Tina began her daily routine like usual, though it didn't include a lavish breakfast in comfy clothes after a warm shower. No, she began roaming the floating island in search for anything that could be of use to her, even a twig had its value inside the dungeon and as a heavenly rank hunter, her physical endurance gave her the upper hand when compared to regular people.
Or so she thought, because the place was even more crowded than the day before and the resources were already scarce.
With nothing left to do, she resorted to the last option like most people did, charity. She dusted her ragged clothes and tried to put on a smile in hopes that at least they would let her pass without the need to form in the line, though instead of charming her smile felt ironic and the other hunters weren't keen on giving up their spots for just another pretty lady.
After a long wait under the ever present daylight she started paying attention to what the other hunters said while in the queue.
"They said they reduced our rations again, are they trying to starve us to death?" A woman in front of Tina complained to the man who seed to be her husband.
"That's not the case, I heard from a friend that it's a move to get us to join the army. If you join, you get more food and if you don't, you only get the scraps."
"You're not considering joining them? You've heard the rumors too, those who go out to hunt never co back." She held dearly to the man's arm and he leaned his head on hers in response.
"You caught , I was thinking on getting today's ration, giving it to you and then joining them."
"You can't do that! I'd rather starve than losing you." The woman's eyes beca teary.
Witnessing that loving sowhat comforted Tina and helped her regain the faith in humanity. If in spites of the cataclysmic events that took place, the exodus and their poor conditions people was still able to love and support each other, then it ant that humanity wasn't lost. It ant that there was still hope for society, there was still hope for her.
This feeling only intensified when the man continued speaking.
"Don't worry darling, I'll only do it if they let join Sage's incursion. You've heard the rumors too, right?" Just hearing that na was enough to send Tina into a panic. The last thing she knew about Uriel was that he stayed behind and that he was near the east wall when that huge explosion happened and she didn't even know if he was alive.
"Can you tell more about Sage? Please?" Tina begged, though the couple didn't seem thrilled about her eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Why would I tell anyone? That would only reduce my chances..." The man scoffed.
"You need to tell , I-" Tina intended to say she knew him, but she was promptly cut short by the woman who pushed her out of the line.
"Help! Soone help us! This bitch is trying to cut in line!" The woman shouted while directing a cold glare to Tina that shifted into an offended one as soon as two soldiers walked in.
"Cutting in front of others is strictly forbidden, please go back to the end of the line." One of the soldiers spoke calmly.
"That's not true! I just asked her a question." Tina defended herself, not expecting the hit to the stomach that ca before the last warning and she was sent rolling down a couple ters.
"If you don't comply you'll be banned from the daily rations." Was all the already tired soldier said before turning to leave, but Tina stood up and spoke in a demanding tone.
"I didn't cut in line, I was right behind her, ask anyone!"
"Is what this... lady says true?" The soldier asked in monotone. Those in front of the couple didn't want to take any part into it, but those who were behind Tina had sothing to say.
"I saw her cut the line and got violent about it." The man who just a minute ago made the line behind Tina blatantly lied making Tina finally realize the mistake she made. No one was on her side nor on the side of justice, everyone saw for themselves and she didn't even have soone to share her misfortunes with. This realization ca accompanied by a sudden shift in her deanor.
"I am Tina Celes and I demand the respect that cos with that na." She said expecting her na to solve all of her problems like in the past, but all the soldier cared about was to keep the peace and he gave her a nudge with the back of his rifle.
"I said, my na is..." Tina repeated herself as she channeled whatever flux energy was left within her body, though the brief shimr on her eyes fizzled out.
Taking this as a sign of violence, the soldiers had no choice but to activate their traits to contain her. Although both of them were barely ascended, they were in much better condition than Tina. A powerful water blast sent her to the ground, creating mud that soiled her pants and sending everyone into a mocking laughter.
"You know what they say, when you have to go, you have to go." The man who lied to get Tina out of the line joked and the laughter beca hysterical.
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