Life was a little difficult to describe during this time. It was like an advanced medieval system, but with extreme differences in the classes. Democracy had long been dismissed. While it was a dystopia for some, it was a utopia for others.

This takes place not on Earth, but in the vast reaches of space. Each planter in the solar system was like a different country, take a couple of hours flight and you could be in a completely different culture. Then again, take a twenty-minute walk and one could see the same.

Allow the author to return to the earlier example of the medieval system and elaborate upon it. There were 2 classes. Rich and poor. The rich were very rich and never interacted with the poor. The poor never wanted to interact with the rich unless it was their job. As a whole all the poor wanted to do was their job. All the rich wanted to do was maintain their pleasures. Note that this is a general idea, there were exceptions.

The rich were those whose families before the migration from Earth were well-to-do already. The families that owned companies, farms, were millionaires, billionaires, ect. Were the wealthy. The poor were the common folks. No middle class existed because it you were poor you lived off the Organization.

Families were all paid the same, if you had twelve children or none. It was in one's best interest to keep their family small due to this fact. No one got better pay because they did a different job. No one worked their way up in society either. No one had the urge to. They were trained that way. The poor were always taught and told to be happy with their life; most were. They had their needs met and were happy by that standard.

The rich had never even seen money. It wasn't necessary. They wanted something, they simply put in a request to the Organization and it was supplied within 2 days, almost free of change.

The rich were privileged enough never to be in want of anything. They never interacted with the poor people. Of course, workers were poor but were never dressed in their usual garb around the rich because they could make them uncomfortable. In fact at certain time of the day the rich switched towns so that the one they were in could be cleaned for the next time they came. When it was certain that the rich had gone, the poor workers, designated through generations of earlier city cleaners, came and scrubbed floors, polished mirrors, and re-stocked food. At the end of the day they received their pay after inspections to ascertain that the place was immaculate.

At the end of the day the rich would go to their little villas and go to sleep outside of the city. The poor did likewise, moving back towards the huts and shacks they called home which lay opposite to the riches' villas, but still outside of the city.

It is here we find our first character. She is a go-between for the rich and the poor, in a way. She herself is poor, but works for a wealthy family by the title of Chitanda. Her name is Ibara Mayaka. She is a bit of a small girl in more ways than one, but her fiery attitude make up for any lack of height. Her one duty that she preforms is being the taste-tester for the food of the only daughter of the Chitanda family, that is Eru Chitanda. This has been the Mayaka family's job for generation upon generation. In fact, each generation of these two families has the same amount of children, meaning that for each Chitanda child there is at least one Mayaka child, adopted or whatnot. Eru and Ibara were practically raised together since birth, but beginning at age 5, both girls were schooled on their proper place in society. Ibara wasn't one to take this lightly, but soon knew nothing else other than her job.

Of her job, being the taste-tester, the significance of it was that sometimes an intelligent poor-man decided to revolt and try to take out the rich families via poison. Because the poor are practically disposable to the rich they take the children of the poor families and make them subject to poison before the rich. But the rich are intelligent in their own way. Some families introduce their families to a certain poison so that they may build up a resistance to it. Other families simply use other poor to fend off those poor who strive to over throw the regular rule.

This is where Ibara comes in. Because she grew up with Eru, she would be fond of her and so most likely not want to poison her 'friend'. This understood, let us see what Ibara does when she gets home, many years later.

Ibara unbuttoned her vest and hung it up, her blouse and work skirt following soon after. She changed into her causal clothing, in a certainly more deteriorated shape. A simple old skirt which belonged originally to her grandmother and had many patches in it and a light blouse. She stepped out onto the street and looked around, deciding which direction to head. The lanterns were being lit, as the sun was setting turning the streets orange. She walked with a light step down a small alley and weaved through several others then arrived at her destination: Akachōchin Tavern. It had the old-fashioned paper lanterns like the ones back in Old Japan on Earth, but had a definite 'Western' feel to it, if one could call it that anymore. She went inside half wanting to see one person, but expecting to find the only person she didn't want to see...

"Oreki..." she sighed in an irritated manner as she headed back to the normal seat.

"Glad to see you too," he muttered sarcastically through his novel. He took hold of his mug and took a little sip. "If you're wondering where he is, he called and said that he's running a little late. He'll be here though."

"Good." If it were just Oreki I'd leave...she thought to herself.

Hotarou Oreki was one of the many that got on Ibara's bad side; mostly because of his indifference to things. Covered often from head to toe with dirt and soot, wearing a leather vest over a not-too-often washed shirt that no longer was white but rather a sooty brown; he was ordinary looking. After work he cleaned up enough to look presentable (in some manner) then headed to the Tavern. He wasn't a heavy drinker, just had his one mug of some drink (the drink changed depending on his mood) and a glass of water along with it. Then he sat reading a novel until he decided it was time to go home.

Ibara was settling in at the table just as our third person arrived. This was Satoshi Fukube.

"Yo!" Satoshi announced as he scooted into the table next to Ibara.

"What took you so long?" Ibara inquired.

"I had a package to deliver that was all the way across town during changing time. That was crazy!"

"Oh..." the other two sighed in recognition.

"So anyway, I'm going to go get something to drink, do you want anything?" he turned to Ibara with a smile.

"Maybe some water?"

"Are you sure you don't want something strong?" he teased.

"Satoshi!" she scolded pushing him. "you know that it's not proper for a girl to drink!"

"But you sure are fun when you do!" he continued as he stood.

"Hey! That's not funny!" Ibara blushed down to the roots of her hair. She had only been drunk once and it was by accident.

Hotarou recalled when she had been; it hadn't been any fun at all. She's not a happy drinker...he thought. He took another drink of his own beverage. Satoshi returned with two glasses of water and set them on the table.

"So Ibara, any adventures from the wealthy word?" Satoshi asked, gesturing to the glass he got for Ibara.

"I could ask you the same thing," she harrumphed, knowing that he was just trying to be polite. "Miss Eru asked a lot of questions today that I didn't know how to answer. Hmm let's see. Things like, where does the food come from? And how does the Organization keep count of all the people when there aren't any hospitals to be born in...things like that."

"Well Hotarou, got any ideas?"

"Hmm," he sighed. "possibly. But I don't feel like thinking tonight."

"You never feel like thinking any night!" Ibara grumbled.

"It's not like she asked me those questions, why should I answer them?" he replied curtly.

"Well, I want to be able to give her an answer..."

"She's rich, she can get whatever she wants. If she asked for the whole planet to be renamed after her I'm sure it would happen."

"Don't be rude. If you really are that bitter, do something about it."

"That's too much energy..." he turned then suddenly froze, looking up.

The other two turned then froze as well.

A person stood before them, and she was obviously one of the rich, with fine and expensive make-up and light clothing just covered by a dark cloak. How she managed to get this far into the city without being noticed never crossed their panic-stricken minds. Just how she found the city in the first place.

"H-how?!" all three exclaimed. The whole tavern went silent and turned, gawking with surprise. The girl looked around in a confused manner.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Please continue what you were doing..." she started to back away then turn, but stopped as she noticed everyone looking at her. "Um...uh..."

Ibara suddenly stood up and lept into action, followed by the boys. "Right this way Miss..." she took the girl by the arm and led her out of the place, the two others in stride. Once they arrived in an alley a ways away from the Tavern the let out their breath.

"What are you doing here?!" Ibara exclaimed to the girl. "You shouldn't be here! You could be in so much trouble...I could be in so much trouble! If your father found out! Or worse...if the Organization found out...!"

"I followed you here," she admitted shyly. "I was...curious."

"Miss Eru, curiosity kills the poor person!"

"Or at least makes them disappear..." Hotarou added.

"Anyway, we should get you back to the rich quarters," Satoshi insisted, "Come this way." He motioned for Eru to follow him; the other two joined as well.

"Miss, please put your hood up, it's better if you're not found out," Ibara added.

"No..." all three paused.

"No. I do not want to go back. I want to see what it is like here! There's so much I do not know, but I want to find out about you all. No one can answer my questions, so I will find answers somehow myself."

"But your father...!"

"He has gone to another planet for a month. Mother as well. No one will expect that I am gone." She insisted putting her foot down. "I am curious about life on the other side of the city! It is there for a reason. Why can't I take in interest in the common people?"

Ibara and Satohsi were at a loss. They themselves didn't fully understand why the order was the way it was. The stood trying to come up with an explanation.

"You can't take an interest in us," Hotarou spoke, turned away from Eru. "If you do, then the Organization will. And that causes a problem. You have to stay with those whom you belong with. Do you realize how much danger we're in just by talking to you here? You come out here on your own free will, but that's not how they see it. 'The rich wouldn't want to know, so why would she go unless she was kidnapped by the poor?' is their thought. Think about it. You have to go back."

"But why? Why is the Organization like that? What is the point?" Eru insisted. "why does the order of society have to be like that?"

"It wasn't always like this..." Hotarou sighed. "quit asking stupid questions we can't answer. You need to go."

"No, I don't want to..."

Hotarou let out another sigh then approached her. Scooping her up in his arms he began to carry her away. Ibara and Satohsi panicked.

"Oreki! You can't do that! You'll get into trouble!" Ibara cried pulling on his shirt.

"Hotarou, doing that to a rich person...! what are you thinking!?"

"I'd rather be arrested for taking a rich person home then allowing one to stay with us and cause more trouble. Besides it saves energy that way," he explained.

"But there are certainly other ways!" Ibara whined.

During this time Eru had remained quiet, a little startled by the bold actions of the person who now carried her. She was surprised by his strength in any case because he looked like an ordinary scrawny poor person. And while the other two tried to convince him to put her down she wondered about him. She felt like she knew him from somewhere but couldn't quite place her finger on from where.

"Who are you?" she suddenly asked as they entered the area of the city that was being cleaned.

That's an odd way of phrasing that question, all three thought. "Well, you know Ibara already, I'm Satoshi Fukube and the who's carrying you is Hotarou Oreki."

"Oreki..." she said as if she were tasting it.

"Do you have a problem with my name?" he retorted without even looking at her.

"No, you just seem so very familiar to me." Hotarou wavered for a slight instant, but then seemed to come to a decision.

"Put up your hood," he commanded. When she didn't move he directed Satoshi to do it. They soon reached the platform for the transportation of the rich. Satoshi and Ibara had ridden in this device before, but it was new to Hotarou. He dropped the girl onto the platform then looked around. "How to you program this..." he took a moment and looked over the equipment. "Ah, here it is." He typed something into a panel and a small train arrived quickly at the port. He opened the hatch and gestured for Eru to get inside.

She stood looking expectantly back at Hotarou. Dumb rich people, expecting us to do everything for them. He stretched out his hand and took her in his then pulled her towards the train. To his surprise she put up a resistance.

"I'm not going."

"Listen Miss, if you want to learn about poor people go to your rich people's library or something. I'm sure they have..."

"They do not."

Hotarou stopped, unmoved. This is taking too much energy, he decided. "Let me ask you something, Miss Aru right?"

"It's Eru, stupid," Ibara hissed.

"Eru, whatever. If we were to send you back would you some back anyway?" She nodded affirmatively. "I thought so." He rubbed the back on his neck and took a deep breath. "Let's say you do stay here..."

Ibara gasped and glared at Oreki, Satoshi also gave an uneasy glance at his friend.

"Where would you stay?"

"With Mayaka."

Ibara inwardly panicked. She didn't have any room for an extra person, in addition, what would her parents say?

"That's not happening."

"Why not?"

"You would disrupt her entire family, she doesn't have room for an extra person, you would hurt the entire family if the Organization found out...should I continue?"

Eru wasn't used to this kind of cold attitude from a poor person, and was a little bewildered because of it. "Well then what do you propose?"

"That you go home and forget that this ever happened," he replied stoically.

"That is not an option."

Hotarou crossed his arms and stared at her, seeing if she would break down like any other shallow rich person, but she was stubborn.

"I suppose...if you absolutely had to stay here, you could stay with me."

Eru's eyes widened.

"My house isn't very big, but I could possibly adjust that..." he scratched his head, beginning to come up with plans for an addition. "But here's another problem, what are you going to do all day? Everyone goes out to work. If you don't go home, Ibara's out of the job. Which means it would probably be best just to stay home." He suddenly had an idea for a plan that could possibly work.

"How about this, you live at your house, you do what you usually do then you can come back in the evenings and meet us somewhere...at our usual Akachōchin Tavern, where we were tonight. And we'll show you how life is on this side of the city. How's that?"

Eru's eyes lit up with joy. "Oh! Oreki! You are simply brilliant!" she clasped his hands in hers in excitement. Hotarou blushed slightly and looked away.

"Uh-huh. But you can't come here dressed like that. We need to find you something to wear...Ibara, could you loan her some clothing?"

She jumped a little at being called out. "I-I guess I could. But I don't think it would fit her..." I also don't think she'll like it either...

"Let's see then," Hotarou paused for a moment. "Satoshi, can you sew something up tonight? Just a skirt and a shirt? I'll buy the material."

"I think so," aside Satoshi added, "but Hotarou why are you being so supportive of this? You know it's not a very good idea..."

"Don't worry, I have a plan if this goes wrong," he assured Satoshi quietly.

A plan? I wonder what it could be...Satoshi pondered.

Hotarou nodded. "Now don't come until one of us tells you it's safe. We'll come get you; do not leave by yourself."

Eru nodded, oozing excitement and anticipation.