Black Mirror: Chapter 01

Ciel Rousseau sat nervously on the edge of a water tower anxiously awaiting "her" arrival.

It had been tricky trying to sneak out of his house without waking up his mother. Ciel had never snuck out late at night before and he didn't know what he would do if his mother ever found out about his secret meeting. It was bad enough seeing her cry after he broke the news to her that he was planning to become a soldier of the United Federation of Humanity.

While he was a bit hurt that his mother wouldn't support his dream he couldn't blame her for not doing so. She had already lost her husband and to lose a son would be devastating.

Shaking his head a small smile appeared on the young boys lips.

‘No, I won't die. I'll do everything I can to stay alive. For your sake, mom.’ Ciel thought with confidence

A breeze blows by and teenage Ciel begins to shiver. He had come to the water tower about five minutes earlier than planned and didn't think to grab a jacket on his rush out the house. Wearing only a white t-shirt and shorts, he regretted not having an extra layer of clothing on him. To his credit, he didn't think that she'd be late. He looks down at his hands, thinking that maybe she had forgotten all about him.

Minutes later, the sound of footsteps broke the boy's concentration from his hands and he turns to see a dark brown-haired girl in a bright cerulean dress with matching sandals take a seat on the adjacent side of the wooden square platform.

"Hey, Ciel. Sorry I'm late."

A wide grin threatened to split the face of the young lad.

"Hi, Ava."

After a few moments of awkward silence Ciel realized something.

He really didn't know how to start this conversation.

He had always had a little crush on the girl that was two years younger then he, but never was able to even speak to her. What made things different now? Ciel thought long and hard, wanting to choose his words carefully.

He didn't want to say anything that might upset the girl, who was still reeling from the recent death of her mother. Her father like his mother, wouldn't be very happy to know that she had snuck out late, especially to meet a boy no less. Perhaps that was why she spoke first.

"So, why did you want to meet me here? You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

The fair skinned spiky-headed boy took a deep breath and let his thoughts be heard. "Coming this spring… I'm leaving for Babel."

Upon hearing the name of the center for humanity’s military, Ava looks down at her bare legs and gives a half-hearted kick. "All the boys are leaving town."

"But I'm different," declares Ciel, standing up. "I'm not just going to find a job. I'm planning to join the Federation, to be like Archer."

"Archer…" repeated Ava, recalling the name somewhere. "The Great Archer?"

"Yeah," confirms the boy, climbing up to the top of the water tower.

"Isn't it hard to get into the federation?" wonders Ava, pulling one knee close to her.

"Yea," nodded Ciel. "… I probably won't be back in town for a while."

The girl began giggling as she thought of what would happen should Ciel become as famous as Archer.

"Huh?" the boy exclaimed, curious as to what the girl was laughing about.

"If you make it, are you going to be in the newspapers and everything?" she asks him as she looks up at the boy.

"I'll try to," states Ciel.

Ava looks up at the raven-haired boy with a smile. "Hey, Ciel let's make a promise."

Ciel looks down in curiosity, wondering what it was he could possibly promise her.

"Umm…" began the girl, not really sure how he would react to her request. "If you get really famous… and I get in a real bind… you'll come save me, right?"

"What?" exclaims Ciel, not really sure what to make of her request. Why would she want such a weak person to save her.

"If I'm ever in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me," explains the girl, recalling some bedtime stories her mother used to read to her back when she was still alive. "I want to experience that at least once."

"What?" Ciel exclaims once again. He knew he was weak in the past, but maybe, just maybe, getting into the federation will change all of that.

"Come on! Promise me!" Ava responds impatiently. More than anything she wanted Ciel to be the one to save her. He always seemed to have a bigger precence then most of the people of this town.

Ava knew.

She knew he would be great.

"All right…" nodded Ciel seeing the girls determined expression he made the promise. "I promise."

The two children look up at the starry night sky and watch in awe as a shooting star sails across the dark inky depths.