Hello, welcome to my city. They call it Slate City because it so so darkand gloomy.. This is where I live. It's not much as you can see, it rains a lot. I don't mind so much, it helps me fall asleep. You see, I've had trouble sleeping lately... I'm searching for a person. My little sister Mia. She's been missing for 3 months. I keep searching for clues but I have nothing left but her journal. It's a very outdated way of recording things you know. I don't even know where she found it, she probabl
y traded one of my inventions for it in the street markets. You see I'm a tinkerer, a tech genius really. I fix things, I make things. Most of the things you see around this neck of the woods, I've either had to fix or replace. But I've got big dreams, don't doubt it. I've been saving up to get us papers to become citizens of the Enclave. I've been working really hard, doing all sorts of odd jobs to save up. You see, it hasn't been easy but, I do my best. Did you notice that street lantern down
the road? Fixed that just last week. Give me anything with a circuit, wires, gears and gadgets, I can make you anything you want. People ask me to do all sorts of things, but I draw the line at any funny business. I need to do everything I can to stay on the good side of border security. Those buggers will look for any excuse to toss you over the wall. I've got my own junkyard now. I know, it doesn't really look like much but I've created all sorts of genius inventions there. Sold a few things h
ere or there, but the people around here have no vision. No money either. Every time I find something interesting I bring it back, discarded appliances, broken machinery. I'm always unearthing treasures: copper wire, functioning microchips, gears in perfect condition. They're the building blocks for all my inventions. One of the earliest gadgets I ever made was a mini solar-powered device that could distill water from the polluted rain. It was a simple contraption, cobbled together from scrap me
tal but it was one my more popular inventions Of course we never really get any sunshine around so it was difficult to power. The smog and the clouds are just too thick. My real skills lies in robotics. I've spent hours poring over ancient engineering books - even those made from real paper. I've studied the principles of artificial
intelligence, machine learning, anything you name it. My makeshift laboratory is a testament to all my failed and sometimes successful experimentations. My most geni
us creation is, Oscar my pet. He's a marvel of engineering, a tiny robotic spider with the power of 10 reactors. Each leg, was meticulously articulated to navigate the most challenging terrain. His multifaceted eyes can capture high res images and transmit them wirelessly to my console, I even rigged it from a salvaged tablet. It's a funny thing actually, it had a strange apple symbol I've never been able to understand. Curious it was marked with a food item. Makes makes no sense to me, but what
do I know. But Oscar is much more than just a pet, I've been working on him tirelessly these past months ever since Mia's disappearance. He's the key to finding her, a symbol of my hope. Mia has always been my greatest supporter,
she used to sit in the corner of my lab while I worked on projects. I just don't understand where she's gone,
if someone took her, if she got lost. She vanished in the night, not a whisper,
not a sound. It eats away at me day and night. I have to find her. I built this
porch a year ago after New Year Day. It was so we could watch the fire works. You can't really see much through these dark
clouds but if you're lucky you get to spot a colourful display. Every repair I make, every new gadget I'm
one step closer to our new life. As soon as I find Mia, it won't be long now. It's always been just Mia and I,
our parents dies in the last war. I have some memories of them, but mainly I
remember mum brushing my hair while the fire crackled. But it's been just us for
a long time now, so Mia and I, we're much closer than normal sisters might be. This house is the only thing we have left
of them, and it's not really much more than a place to sleep and eat. But at least we have one of the best views in Slate City. We're high up above market square. Bright early morning is the best time to catch
a few limited rays of sunshine. City square is a sprawling maze of narrow
alleyways and buildings that lean to the side that seem to defy gravity. The sounds are full of
vendors hawking their
wares, children playing with homemade toys and the distant hum of factories. Mia used to run through those streets with
the other children when she was supposed to be watching our stall. She had an artistic eye, she could draw anything,
sell anything with just a look. She was a natural born story teller and loved
to share her stories. We had a good system between the two of us. We were a team, the best team in all of Slate City. I really need to find her. Mia disappeared 3
months ago, after we packed
down our stall and were headed for home. We made a quick stop to grab some mystery
meat skewers - mostly likely reconstituted algae. They grow it a few provinces out west. I sent Mia inside to order them while I waited outside. Digger was talking to me a some piping issues
over by the park. It wasn't until Digger had left that I realised
it had been a long time since Mia had come out. I looked
for her but she was gone. No one had seen her. I looked in every alley, d
own every street. The only trace left of her was her teddy she
loved more than anything. She would have never left him behind. I'll do anything it takes to find her. Don't worry Mia, I'm coming for you no matter
where it leads. I have your old journal you left behind at
home, full of strange writings and symbols. I'm hoping I can find a clue. I know it looks messy, but I promise you there's
a system to my madness. The pile of metal and wires, serve a purpose. Right now, I'm testing the new fiber
optic
of Oscar. You remember Oscar? My pet spider. Once I find Mia, this bad boy is going to
revolutionise the world, and it's our ticket into The Enclave. When we finally get there, I'll be able to get Mia her art lessons. I'll buy her all the supplies she could ever
need. Once we re citizens, we can do anything, go
anywhere. Explore the world! Mia would love that, with all her stories
of fantastical places. It looks like Oscar is ready to go. Now all I have to go on is this old journal
Mia lef
t behind. I discovered a map yesterday that could lead
to her. I better go grab some coffee, I've got many
long nights ahead of me.
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