![[ Revised and Edited ] A Girl Lost in Her Own World](https://cdn2.scratch.mit.edu/get_image/project/585295683_480x360.png)
Mika walked out of her room, heading downstairs and smiling at her mother. "Morning, Mother!" Mika said, hugging Emily, patting Emily's back twice before letting go. "Good morning, Mika," Emily said. "I like today's outfit. Astrology style today?" Mika nodded. "Thanks for noticing, Mother," Mika said. "I tried my best to make that obvious." Mika laughed. Mika had on a black dress with stars and constellations, astrology pins on the sleeves, and the top of the dress. She had on two different dangly earrings -- one with the Cancer symbol and one with the Sagittarius symbol dangling down from her ears on small, silver chains. On her right wrist, she had a silver charm bracelet with a charm for each planet. It also had the moon next to the Earth. Pluto was farther away from the other baubles on her bracelet. The bracelet also had a Sun charm. Her hair was in a messy bun and tied up with a black ribbon. She was wearing black flats with a full moon on the right foot and a new moon on the left. On her right hand, she had two black tourmaline rings on her ring finger. She wore an amethyst ring on her index finger. She also had a gold pendant attached to a gold heart that she was wearing, along with a black choker with a rose gold crystal attached to it. "Well, you did a good job," Emily said with a chuckle. "Do you want anything for breakfast?" "I don't need anything. Besides, I can stop for Milk Boba at the nearby Replenish Cafe before I go to Halcyon Academy," Mika said. "Oh, wait. I do need something. Well, a someone. Mason!" Mika called, waiting for her brother. "Coming!" Mason called back. Mika could hear the slam of his door and the stomping of his feet as Mason ran down the stairs. Mika cocked her hips to the side, her hands on her hips. "Well, Mason, it looks like it's shirt and jeans day... again," Mika said, rolling her eyes. Mason shrugged, a confused look on his face. "What's wrong with jeans and shorts?" asked Mason. Mason's outfit wasn't as detailed as Mika's clothing since all he had was a black t-shirt, bootcut jeans, and black tennis shoes. "Nothing, It's just... so plain and even and derivative," Mika said, going back to her upright position, putting her hands down. "Have you considered maybe a long-sleeved shirt? Or a dress shirt?" "Okay, okay, Mika. I'm going shopping later. You can come to critique me. I only plan on spending 20 gold coins, though," Mason said, rolling his eyes. "Mason, dear, if I'm going to help you, you're going to need more than 20 gold coins," Mika said, smiling her charismatic smile. "Fine. 50 coins. I'll even throw in 75 silver coins if it makes you happy," Mason said. "Good enough," Mika said. "Now, let's get our backpacks and go to school." Mason nodded and hugged his mother before he and Mika grabbed their backpacks and headed off for Halcyon Academy. ▸▸▸✉ "Mika, Mason, hey," Erik said, his shoulder-length, silken brown hair flowing in the wind as he smiled at the siblings. "Hey," Mika and Mason said, Mika somehow not bothered by the brisk, chilly breeze flowing through the town. "Oh, Mika, I like your outfit," Erik said. "Another astrology aesthetic?" "Yep," Mika said, twirling and smiling for her small audience. Erik and Mason clapped at the small performance. "Quite dazzling, Miss Edwardson. You haven't lost the-- let's see... /oomph,/" Erik said, faking a low-pitched, French accent, which made himself, Mika, and Mason laugh. "My oomph is still there, Gaston," Mika said, still giggling. "However, I might be grounded from it if we don't get to World History on time. We're learning about the Mage and Human War still, and we have to make a diorama of a scene or place during it." "Hey, let's do the diorama together," Mason said. "I already have a good idea for it." "Ooh, is it the Sage Kingdom?" Erik asked. "Please let it be the Sage Kingdom! /Please/ let it be the Sage Kingdom!" Mika said excitedly. Mason laughed. "Yes, it is the Sage Kingdom." "Yes!" Erik and Mika said at the same time. Mason smiled. "Come on, team. I'll lead the way to World History." Erik and Mika nodded as they followed Mason to World History. ▸▸▸✉ "Replenish Cafe as usual?" asked Erik. "Of course, Erik! Where else would we go?" asked Mika. "Yeah, and we're not eating that mess the school calls food /anytime/ soon," Mason said, faking a shudder. Erik laughed. "I know, I know. Can you believe people eat that stuff?" Mika went in between Mason and Erik as they walked out of the school, Mika having her purse and Mason and Erik having their wallets in their pockets. "Some people don't have a choice, though," Mika said. Mason laughed dryly. "That's why you don't get a third offense," Mason said. "What would even /possess/ someone so bad that they do something to get a third offense?" asked Mika. ->
<- Erik shook his head. "Who cares? What matters is that we have to figure out what /we're/ going to have for lunch," Erik said. "I'm thinking ham and cheese with lettuce and bacon." "That sounds nice. I'll get the same," Mika said, and Mason nodded in agreement. "What about drinks?" asked Mason. "Cherry colas, all the way," Mika said. "Sure," Mason and Erik said in unison. "Alright, let's go," Mika said. They nodded and started walking. It only took a few minutes since the nearest Replenish Cafe was a few blocks away. "We're here!" Mika cheerfully remarked, running into the cafe. Mason and Erik followed Mika, smiling. Mika ran up to the counter, where Erik usually worked, but since it was still technically academy hours, a 19-year-old girl named Amelia was operating the counter, greeting Mika and the others as they walked up to her. "We want the same things, Amelia. Those," Mika said, pointing to the sandwich and drink they wanted. "Alright. Three ham and cheese sandwiches with lettuce and bacon. Three cherry colas," Amelia muttered, writing down the orders on three pieces of lined, yellow paper. She then looked up and said, "6 gold coins and 50 silver coins per person." "6.50?!" Mason shouted. "For a sandwich?" "Prices are up. 5.25 for the sandwich, 1.25 for the drink." "That's a one gold coin increase for both of them! That goes against my budget," Mason complained, fishing the money out of his wallet and slapping it on the counter. Erik and Mika place their money on the counter. "What's a one gold coin increase going to do?" asked Mika. "Well, it /technically/ means that the supply and demand are unbalancing, the demand being the heavier load in this situation. People must want meat and dairy more when farmers aren't producing much," Erik said. "Oh- I mean, I /totally/ know that," Mika said as Amelia received and carried the trays from the three cooks, setting them on the counter. "Thank you," Erik, Mason, and Mika said in unison as they went over to one of the several empty tables. When they sat down, Erik took a sip of his cola and said, "Mika, you know very well you failed the three-day Economics program in Math class." Mika shook her head. "I passed that class. I had a 76, which is a 3." "Mika! You can't let Mom see that Three on your weekly report card! You know she gets a message on her Holoscreen! Mom will ground from the party!" Mason asserted sternly. "I'll figure out how to get it up. Maybe I can do a makeup test or something," Mika said, shrugging as she sipped her cola again. "Well, we'd better go in a few moments. Lunch ends in 47 minutes, so you'll probably have enough time to do the test," Erik explained. Mika nodded. "Sure, but let's finish our lunch first. Then, maybe we can find a Dropbox Area somewhere and get some candy that the Others always eat," Mika said. Mason and Erik agreed as they all took the first bite of their sandwiches. ▸▸▸✉ Sorry for the long story! Like, Favorite, and Comment for Part 2!
