Inverse System

"Who the hell was that? She made my fuckin skin crawl," Quint remarked after she left as Raxo grit her teeth.

"Let's go guys," she uttered as she continued walking, acting as though her interaction with the blond-haired girl never happened.

The group followed promptly, continuing down the large bottom floor of the skyscraper. They eventually reached a black-haired middle-aged man, dressed in an all-black suit with a line of people going up to him just to greet him.

As the man finished shaking hands with someone, he looked up and noticed the group, waving to them to come to him. They complied and greeted the man.

"Ah! Hello there! You must be little miss Tincer, no? Glad to make your acquaintance! My name is Ginald, and I am the current head-manager of the Echo company, working directly under your father!" He outstretched his hand to shake it with her.

"You're the head manager? It's nice to meet you as well. Will my father be attending the ceremony?" She asked as she shook his hand.

"Oh no, unfortunately, your father is currently bedridden. Though, it's a surprise you didn't already know this," the man divulged, to which Raxo's worried expression grew tenser.

"No… I wasn't informed…"

"Ah! And you must be miss Xilris! I'm a big fan of your fathers!" He outstretched his hand to Saphrilla.

"You know my idiot father?" She asked as she shook his hand.

"Ahaha… I wouldn't call him an idiot. If he's an idiot, what does that make the rest of us?" The man nervously laughed.

"He is below us. We have some semblance of intelligence while he lacks basic common sense," Saprhilla continued critiquing her dad's negative qualities while the rest of the group listened, eventually being cut off by Ginald.

"Well, it was nice meeting you lot! I've got to prepare the event now! You kids take care!" He ran off to the end of the hall and went backstage.

"He seems like a nice guy. Glad dad didn't fuck up again like he always does," Raxo remarked, to which some of the group nodded.

Rein was looking at the interaction out of the corner of his eye, a look of concern washing over him.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of a microphone being held, then tapped multiple times to test.

"Welcome one and all to the annual Naji engineering fair! We will be beginning the award show promptly, if everyone could take their seats, that would be wonderful!" The announcer stated, to which the crowd began moving to the seats, all of the engineers going to the front to sit on the numbered seats.

Saphrilla and Raxo split off from the group to sit in those seats themselves, while the 3 Ranger students went to sit in some seats in the back. After a bit of waiting, they saw the man who called himself Ginald walk onto the stage, all the other lights turning off and a spotlight shining on him.

"Good afternoon everybody! Or should I say high noon? Haha, I guess it doesn't matter. My name is Ginald, and I am the current head-manager of the Echo company here in Naji! But I'm sure you guys already knew that, right?" He joked, the sound of seemingly artificial laughter going with his remark.

"You guys heard that? It's called a 'laugh track'. Invented it myself," he boasted, invoking a real laugh from the audience, not a hardy laugh, but one of pity towards his meager efforts in getting people to laugh at his jokes.

"Anyway, let's get on with the showcases, shall we? First up, we have miss Rebecca Brids, with an invention inspired by the Orthlys royal family! I'll let her have the stage," Ginald announced as Rebecca, the blonde girl that seemed to know Raxo, walked onto the stage with a cardboard box in hand.

"Thank you Mr. Ginald. What he said was true, my invention was inspired by the Orthlys royal family Spring, the gift of wind," she stated as she cut the box open, revealing a large, circular cage with three blades connected to a centerpiece in the middle.

"Have you ever felt too hot in your home in the summertime? Well, I hear the royal family never has to worry about this! Though the one over in Econica does," she leaned in to whisper, which made the crowd laugh harder than Ginalds laugh track.

"Introducing my new invention. I call it a 'glow fan'. We already have those manual fans, where you wave them back and forth to produce a current of cold air. Well, no more of that! Simply put one in your home and sync it with your glow stone, and you're set! Never worry about overheating again!

I will be selling this under the Echo company, starting at 500 dol per unit! I hope to receive your support in the future," she bowed as the crowd began applauding loudly, cheering in satisfaction.

Most of the crowd was made up of rich, influential folk, or investors that may find any opportunity to invest in a product. After each speech was over, Ginald would return to the stage and ask the audience for any backers. For Rebecca's product, over 3 quarters of the crowd raised their hands. Rein assumed that the other 25 percent were merely spectators, or rangers having come as bodyguards for others, just like them.

"I guess some funding wouldn't hurt them… That basement down in the gulf is pretty run down," Rein thought in his mind, but then another thought suddenly crossed him.

If they get to be recognized by the company, it would be a near certainty that Saphrilla would have to move away from them to work at a professional lab. His worry folded over him, gritting his teeth, not wanting her to leave. It was selfish of him, but he wanted her where he could keep an eye on her. It was simple worry.

The speeches continued on and on, but nothing came close to the first presentation. Nothing even grazed the magnitude of support that the glow fan and Rebecca Brid got. It was nearing the end of the line that made up the inventors, Raxo and Saphrilla's names not having been called yet.

Every time a person would finish their speech, Rein would clench his fist in hopes that the next name called wouldn't be Saphrilla. However, as the numbered dwindled down, there was only 1 person left before the 2 girls, who sat patiently, awaiting their turns. As all other inventors finished their presentation, and the investors put their hands down, Ginald would walk on the stage for the final time, his next announcement being his last. Rein had finally calmed himself down and somewhat came to terms with the situation, though he still didn't like it. He was prepared for Ginald to announce Saphrilla's name to present her and Raxo's invention.

"Well, that marks the end of this year's engineering fair! And I'd say it was a huge success! Such great young talent was found this year! I could hardly contain my excitement! Do stick around for the after-party! Talk to people and enjoy yourselves! Welp, till next year!" He declared as he left the mic stand and walked off the stage while the crowd gave a fierce applause, Saphrilla, Raxo, and even Rein and the Rangers sitting there with their mouth's gaped open, dumbfounded.