After breakfast, we headed to the art competition that Aaron had invited me to – the one where this whole adventure started. I mean, everything else that I experienced in a day or so that I was here was a bonus. I came here specifically for this art competition.
As we reached the door, he paused, looked at me, and said, "Did you take your phone? Wallet? Darn, I feel like my dad." I shook my head, patting the empty pockets of my new clothing. Walking back to where I had slept, I picked up my stuff from the floor beside my bag. Putting everything into my pockets, I hurried to catch up with Aaron.
I was starting to recognize a few landmarks here and there. Today, we drove in the same direction as the stores we shopped at. But instead of parking in the garage building, we were on the other side of the cluster. From this entrance, I saw a lake, parks with trees and bushes, and people walking dogs ranging from the size of a chicken to a pony. A group of people were playing various sports games, of which I only recognized something like basketball. Aaron grumbled, annoyed, "Can never get a good parking spot whenever I'm not an hour early."
"Is it always like this?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around the bustling atmosphere.
"Only during the competition days," Aaron replied, scanning the area for a place to park. "The rest of the week, it's pretty chill. But there's something going on every week or two. This is one of the community centers in the city,"
Finally finding a spot, we parked and started making our way through the throngs of people. The air buzzed with excitement, and the scent of food, flowers, and other random things I didn't recognize filled my nostrils. My eyes darted around, taking in the colorful displays and unique outfits of the attendees.
"Stick close," Aaron warned, his voice tinged with humor. "Don't want you getting lost in all of this, and have to ask the police to send a search party for you."
I followed close to Aaron as he navigated through the bustling community center, the sound of laughter and excited chatter filling the air. He led me to a booth where two people were already setting up their display.
"Sorry I'm late; here you go, Masson." Aaron apologized, handing over some device to a short, dark-haired guy about Aaron's age. "I modified it a bit. But for the most part, it's the same."
Mason frowned, looking irritated. "Oh, come on, this better not be the same as last time. It messed everything up."
A slim girl with lengthy hair shot Aaron a sympathetic glance. "Mason, that was as much my fault as Aaron."
Aaron blushed and smirked. "Thank you, Amelia. But I scuffed the last one. I triple-checked this one"
Without saying anything, Aaron tapped something on his glasses, and suddenly, the air above their booth came alive with the scenery of a breathtaking forest. A giant waterfall taller than I'd ever imagined cascaded in the background, lights shimmering in the water while mist created a stunning rainbow. I couldn't help but stare, slack-jawed, at the fluttering butterflies, soaring birds, and trotting deer that populated the scene. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a fox peering out from bushes adorned with flowers.
"The birds aren't bad," Mason conceded grudgingly, studying the display. "The motion is def better than before, but the colors are janky!"
"Come on, Mason, it's fine!" Amelia interjected, rolling her eyes. "It matches the butterflies and other insects! And it contrasts with the rainbow."
"Eh, um. Yeah, kinda, Amelia," Mason mumbled, still scrutinizing the artwork. "I just really want it to be close to perfect. I don't want to get bumped for stupid reasons. And for the next one, let's start tomorrow with a quick meeting."
"Fine, let me know when," Aaron agreed. "Usual spot, right?"
"I can't, I have a date," Amelia said with a smile.
Aaron and Mason froze, staring at her in shock as she blushed deeply from the attention.
I stepped back from the booth, and to my shock, the scenery stayed confined to the booth. My perspective on everything changed as I moved around slightly. How was this possible?
Aaron glanced at me, his eyes full of understanding. "I can't lead you around till after the competition. Do you want to check out the other displays or wait till after?"
"Can I look around? I mean, am I allowed to?" I asked hesitantly. I was torn between standing feeling helpless and wanting to see all the wonders.
Mason laughed, his voice booming in the enclosed space. "Yeah, man, it's a free country. Mostly. If you get lost, ask a computer. We are booth 168. The judges are going to start their rounds in about an hour."
I looked at Aaron, who gave me an encouraging nod. My heart raced as I recalled the scary stories my dad used to tell me about the outside world. Still, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to see what else the art festival had to offer. Families were milling around freely; how dangerous could it possibly be?
"Good luck with the competition," I said, trying to sound confident.
"Thanks!" Amelia chimed in with a giggle.
Mason flipped a switch, and a beautiful sound of birdsong filled the air. He mumbled something under his breath.
Aaron sneered. "Was that so hard?" he retorted.
"Actually, yeah, it tastes weird," Mason replied, grinning.
Feeling like an intruder in their banter, I turned away and stepped into the bustling festival. Fearful thoughts swirled in my mind, echoing my father's words. Yet, as I ventured further from Aaron's booth, I noticed that although some people looked barely human with markings on their skin and piercings, they were all friendly. Their unusual appearances soon became secondary to the fascinating exhibits they presented.
As I rounded the corner, my mouth dropped open at the sight of hundreds of stalls like the one Aaron was working in. The closest one was a mesmerizing garden of crystal flowers, insects, and birds. I stood there, captivated until a sudden laugh jerked me out of my hypnosis. I looked around, worried that I was the source of amusement, but the people laughing weren't looking at me.
I let out a shaky breath and continued exploring the festival, feeling both thrilled and terrified by the world of art that sprawled out before me.
The next display that caught my eye was an enigma, a strangely grey scene that gripped me with its quiet allure. It wasn't muted like monochrome films from home; it was a symphony of shades, each stroke composed of dots and lines of varying widths and densities. My gaze fell upon the cars within the artwork – ancient-looking, even by my standards. The newest models were older than anything we had in our village.
As I approached, movement captured my attention, and I gasped as I witnessed a gruesome spectacle unfold. Creatures tore at each other, biting and killing with blood splattering across the canvas. Though I wasn't unfamiliar with death, having helped on butcher days back home and defended our animals from coyotes, this level of brutality unnerved me. I glanced around, shocked to see children no older than twelve standing mesmerized before the bloody display.
"Can you believe it?" A stranger's voice jolted me from my thoughts. "The artist wanted to capture the rawness of nature, but I think he went a bit overboard."
"Y-yeah," I stammered, unsure how to respond. I turned away from the grisly scene and continued wandering through the festival, searching for something less intense.
Soon, I found myself pausing in front of another booth, drawn in by the text displayed at the entrance: "A historical docu-drama-first-and-third-person experience of the AGI War." This exhibit was unlike the others I'd seen so far, comprised of dozens of smaller windows cycling through various scenes instead of one large display. The mention of the AGI War stirred a distant memory from school. It was over a hundred years ago, and I couldn't recall much about the conflict or who the AGI were. I never cared for history, literature being my favorite subject. As more gore filled the screens, I quickly moved on, eager to discover something more engaging.
"Unicorn with butterfly wings!" a little girl's voice rang out, and my attention was instantly drawn to a display of interactive sand. Before my eyes, the sand shifted and morphed into the fantastical creature she described. The sight brought a smile to my face, washing away the discomfort from earlier.
"Wow, that's amazing," I murmured, lingering for a moment before continuing to the adjacent booth. A man stood proudly beside a collection of printed images depicting various scenes. Intrigued, I spent some time examining each piece, appreciating the physicality of the art.
Glancing at the clock, a knot of panic tightened in my stomach. I was running out of time to get back to Aaron's booth. The gallery seemed to twist and turn in ways that defied logic. I'd been so captivated by the incredible art surrounding me that I hadn't paid attention to where I was going. Now, I stood lost amidst the maze of displays.
"Excuse me," I mumbled to a few strangers passing by, but they didn't seem to notice. I spotted a computer display nearby with the words "Need help?" on it. Desperate, I approached the screen and said, "Sorry, computer, sir. Can you help me?"
The text on the screen morphed into a face composed of strange particles. "How may I help you?" it asked in a dispassionate voice.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Sir. I'm looking for booth 168," I stammered.
"Do you have AR glasses?" the computer inquired.
"No, sir," I replied, shaking my head.
"Please proceed in that direction," the computer instructed an arrow appearing on the screen. "Look for displays like this one. I will put them along the way."
"Thank you, sir, computer," I murmured as I followed the arrow's guidance. Each display I passed had a similar message, guiding me on my way back to Aaron's booth.
My heart raced as I moved through the gallery, trying not to gawk at the mesmerizing displays too much. They were breathtaking, but I couldn't afford to get lost again. One particular exhibit caught my eye – a space diagram with colossal stations and ships zipping around. Next to it was an interactive display featuring a giant planet with a red spot and a dozen moons. It was awe-inspiring, but I forced myself to keep moving.
As I followed the arrows, I stumbled over my own feet, surprised by a display that showed animal versions of my face. It was both amusing and unsettling to see myself as a bird, a dog, and a rabbit. I blinked, and the images switched, but I didn't dare linger too long.
"Thank you," I said to the last arrow on the screen when I saw Aaron in front of his booth.
"You are welcome," the computer replied.
As I arrived at Aaron's booth, the judges were just approaching. My heart pounded in my chest, but I tried to swallow my nerves and focus on the moment. Aaron confidently stepped forward, a graceful figure against the backdrop of the fantastical scenery he and his friends had created.
"Our art installation encompasses a vast virtual space of 5000 x 5000 x 250 meters," he began, his voice eloquent and assured. "We offer the option for both procedurally generated and meticulously crafted landscapes, anchored to standard physics models for realism."
I watched as he gestured towards the stunning creatures inhabiting their virtual world, their forms fluid and dynamic. "Drawing inspiration from Native American and Nordic myths, these fantastical creatures are not only visually captivating but also interact dynamically with visitors, thanks to a large language model."
The judges listened intently, their expressions revealing genuine interest. Aaron continued, "This model not only facilitates engaging interactions but also allows us to continuously upgrade and evolve the experience, ensuring that each visit is unique and memorable."
As the judges walked away, Aaron's friends exchanged high fives, grinning broadly. "That went well," Mason said, his earlier stress seemingly forgotten.
"Think we ranked?" Aaron asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
"I was reading their notes," Mason replied, "and they were very impressed. I'll be surprised if we didn't rank. We may have even placed!"
Aaron turned to me, curiosity lighting up his face. "How was the display? Anything competing with us?"
I shrugged, unsure how to judge the other exhibits. "I have no idea, but yours looks cool."
"Thank you!" Aaron beamed. Remembering the animal mirrors, I mentioned them to the group. Amelia's eyes widened with intrigue. "Oh, they got that to work? I want to see! Where is it?"
I pointed in the direction I had come from. Mason glanced at his watch and said, "We have some time before the judges announce the results. Want to make a circle?"
Amelia and Aaron nod. I sheepishly follow them for my second round of the art competition.
Wandering through the exhibit with Aaron and his friends, I discovered a myriad of wonders that I had missed during my first walk-through. It turned out that I saw about half of the art. Their guidance made the experience more accessible, and we easily navigated the maze of creativity. The atmosphere was electric, every corner bursting with imagination and innovation. We spent most of the day looking at competitors to Aaron's group.
As we returned to their display, the judges began announcing the winners over the PA system, their images projected on all the public displays that guided me to Aaron's booth. The announcements were met with a wave of excitement and applause. The first place went to an interactive model of a space station, the second place went to an imaginative, interactive sand display, and the third place went to a docu-drama on the AGI War.
The crowd's cheers and claps filled the air, a vibrant chorus of celebration and camaraderie among the participants.
The excitement in the air was palpable as the announcer waited for the applause to die down. "Those who have ranked will receive a notification on your plaques," he declared. "The rest will get detailed feedback in the coming days."
Aaron and his friends gathered in front of their display, their hands interlocked in anticipation. The tension among us was thick, a mix of hope and uncertainty. After what seemed like an eternity, their plaque lit up, glowing with a golden hue. A cheer erupted from our group, and I beamed with pride at their accomplishment.
Aaron turned to me, his smile wide and eyes sparkling with joy. The sense of achievement was evident in their celebration, in contrast to the more subdued reactions of some nearby participants.
I looked around at the sea of faces, some beaming with happiness, others marked with disappointment. The competition was more than just an artistic endeavor; it was a testament to passion, hard work, and the pursuit of dreams.
Aaron explained, pointing to a Gold Metal now digitally pinned to the information plaque in front of the display. They ranked in the top tier. This was their first time receiving a ranking ever, and after 4 defeats, they jumped straight to gold rank.