"So, do you have the goods?" The kid in front of me handed out a paper bag filled with some colorful beads of sugar. God, I just realized how bad this looks. Then again, a hooded kid who's slightly on the less melanised end handing out bags of those "things" the Defined kids eat invites applause from the people. Sometimes I don't understand, What the absolute fuck did I do to deserve a life like this- living in my uncle's house who somehow miraculously married a Defined, both of my parents getting slaughtered because they weren't defined. " December, you do have to pay me." This was expected, to say the least. Heet always used to risk dying to help people like me or Mali experience the lives that the Defined kids enjoy. I still don't know why she does it, but I'm not complaining. " I do have some information. There's one kid who got his Function a few days ago".
Functions are something only the Defined get. At the age of 15, the Defined get a revelation or some guru-shit I don't know, and they get powers. From what I remember, my cousin got a Transcendent function. They are extremely rare; almost anyone who gets it gets shot up to the Sets, one of the most pristine forces of the R realm. Those people are also the most sadistic pieces of scum so hopefully Atlas doesn't become a douche. Once I revealed the info to Heet, her eyes shot up in excitement. " Tell me right now, is it that kid who tried to fake Theorems? That would be hysterical!" Heet always had a competitive spirit. She loves to get into fights with those snobby brats who get overconfident right after they get " Defined ". "Yeah, Yed Forther got the ability to use Theorems in succession without using his Left". Heet's jaw dropped. That was pretty much a cheat code, even though if he was talented, he could achieve that on his own. " Hahahahahahaha!! I guess he doesn't have to fake it anymore! " Heet started laughing hysterically. I love that laugh. It brings me so much joy, if I'm being honest. She's super beautiful and a fighter. Who wouldn't want that combo? I started munching on the sugars while Heet calmed down and puked with pure elegance. "Sorry, not a good sight, right"? " No, not at all. You aren't a bad sight at all," I blurted out and barely noticed it until Heet started blushing. " Ahem, I should probably go now; they might come after me if I stay for too long". I couldn't say anything for some reason, so I nodded and turned towards my house. Heet vanished without a trace. Her function, as she told me, is Subtraction. She can only subtract properties of herself like the sound of footsteps, her breathing, or even herself. She could easily become an incredible assassin, but she's "loosely defined". People like that tend to be a problem in the future, so she has to hide her powers. I wish I had a function. I could pay back the hospitality Uncle and Auntie Osir gave me and then some. I always used to go to the public library and read about things like Theorems and the origin of functions, and so much more. It only made me crave a function. Ever since I picked up that one book, my mind has been thinking about numbers non-stop. My dreams didn't feel like dreams; they felt lucid, just me playing God in my dreamscape. Atlas is currently attending Zahl University, the one place that teaches the Defined how to handle their functions, how to handle their Domain- which is what fuels their function, and how to manipulate their Range- which determines how powerful the function can be.
Besides, I don't have a function, I should just think about what regular fourteen-year-olds think about- girls! Whatever I told Heet, I had zero regrets. I don't want to regret not letting her know I like her. "Decey, it's time for dinner!" Aunt Osir calls out to me. "Coming!".
"Atlas sent a copy of his homework inside his monthly letters, Decey." Uncle Osir says as he plumps down the huge stack of papers and feathers filled with ink onto my bed. " He still owes it to you, I hope you know that. Even though he got a transcendent, you taught him what my wife couldn't, December. Thank you."
Two years ago, Atlas got his function and got hit with a crippling case of Pneumonia. He had to be in bed for at least 2 to 3 weeks, sapping his short-lived excitement. I used to go up and down the Mountains and fetch some magical water that helped with the pneumonia. Back then, Uncle was as ever filled with shit tons of work and Aunt Osir was pregnant with Belar. Heet helped me getting past the Int Guards because, as always, we have to be provided with the short stick. Medicine never came to our town, so this was the only option. I am the only one who knows what his function is; not even his parents know. One day, Atlas told me on his self- assumed death bed his function. Logarithms. He could essentially slow down everything exponentially, which is brutally overpowered if used right. I told him that if he could try to use it on himself, it could be clutch, and the doctor could come by the time his domain depletes. He used his function, and a faint purple aura emitted from his body, like spikes covering a sea urchin. I could feel the immense domain Atlas contains. But I have no clue why. And how. I only thought the Defined could feel it. I didn't think of it before, but as days passed by, his self-induced coma saved his life. Aunt Osir's close friend came to the rescue and subtracted the disease, saving his life.
"Atlas is a brother to me, I couldn't leave him like that".
" That idea you gave him made him nearly impenetrable because he just stopped his wounds from opening up further. He currently holds the record for the Battle House winning streak. He mentions you so many times in his letters."
"Well, it'd be a waste if he wasted his function doing perverted things. I know I would." We both laughed, even though I wasn't lying.
Uncle suddenly let out a deep sigh. "Listen, I talked with the executives, I say executives even though I'm referring to your aunt. You said you could feel Atlas's domain, and that is not normal even for the Defined. So, we decided we would hold a private session for you. Tomorrow is your birthday, remember?"