Numerous colours blended together on the canvas of blue and green. The sheer beauty of this garden melded into the pure thoughts of tranquillity within Eliza’s mind. There was a path beneath her, paved with white marbled stone. Beside the path on both sides were fields, dividing between the path and vibrant woods.

“Woah…” Eliza let a sense of amazement leam off her mind into his lips. “Is this another dimension?”

There were drones watering patches of crops… There seemed to be some small manor house beyond the fields of crops.

“What are you doing here?” asked Kazuki. Eliza twisted her head towards him, he was leaning against the wall beside the elevator. “Did my grandfather put you up to this?”

She looked him over, he was wearing a haori over a short kimono. “Well…” Eliza paused, before shaking her head. No, she has to get an apology from him… “I…”

Kaz rolled his eyes. “Oh… yeah,” he said, and to her surprise. “Let’s just both forget and put that behind us.”

A rainbow phoenixfly passed by, hovering and making a loud whir noise, as Kazuki’s eyes dotted over it, fixated on the being for a moment.

“So…?” Eliza trailed off not entirely knowing if Kazuki’s putting his heart into it. But at the same time, it’s quite hard to know anything about him, especially anything regarding emotions or thoughts. “I guess that’s that. Still… you should probably stop being so rude all the time.”

Kazuki gave her a long look, before his golden eyes glanced away, forward. “Okay,” he said. “Though… It’s hard…”

Hard? How can it be hard to just have some common courtesy? Sure, Eliza will give Kazuki slack for his upbringing and… general life experiences… but he should be able to rise above those challenges, right? Not to be stuck in a mire of his own past…

“I don’t seem to understand,” said Eliza.

“Trasians are said to be blessed by the Phoenix… My family comes from a line of Lautrasians that led the diaspora fleets to where we reside now,” Kazuki explained things slowly. His voice was still monotone, but it was slow enough that Eliza could see that he was thinking hard on how to word it.

Eliza interjected for a moment, “I still don’t get it…”

Kazuki sighed. “The Royal Lautrasian line is blessed, supposedly. People think that. In reality, we’re cursed… All of us are cursed to suffer one way or another.”

His words stung Eliza’s heart, but they were… factually true… Kazuki’s grandfather watched his home be destroyed during the Crisis, his father lost everyone around him, including both sister and brother - Kaz’s aunt and uncle. When she steps back and thinks, analysing the whole family lineage… they really do seem like a cursed bunch…

Mouth opened, Kazuki stopped talking. Eliza slowly leaned in towards him, and patted him on the arm. She might not know everything about him, but she felt confident knowing when Kazuki’s feeling down.

“Our so called blessing is our ability to intimidate others,” Kazuki stated. “It’s like… an innate ability. My father does it. My grandfather does it… I can do it. My uncle could… even my adopted sister can. Though she never uses it.”

The words snapped into place, forcing Eliza to realise what Senator Tatsuo-Ryzaku was referring to. “Wait… intimidation? Like… a feeling of being overwhelmed?”

Kazuki slowly nodded, his eyes narrowing. “Precisely.”

“Oh… so that’s what your grandfather did!” Eliza remarked.

“He. Did. What?”

Eliza shook her head. “Oh, it’s alright, he just said it was an initiation test, it’s fine anyways.”

“If you say so.”

Eliza hid a sigh as she looked forward, joining Kazuki as her eye scanned the forest, seeing a small structure within it, along the path. “Wait… So what is this place?”

“A garden?”

“Well, yes, it is a garden!” Eliza exclaimed. “But what is it… exactly?”

Kazuki looked around at the walls of the Imperial Palace around them, a base of rock and steel with velvet painted walls. Spires loomed overhead… Eliza assumed that they were manned with the Imperial Guard of the Trasian Royal Family.

“Junsunia Garden…” Kaz trailed. “Most of the Imperial Palace is filled with banquet halls. Meeting rooms. Guest chambers. Administrative offices. Battlements. Spires. Storage houses. Voidguns. Spectacle in peace. Citadel at war.”

Eliza chuckled under her breath. So many people died here, she thought… She knew her history, and the Imperial Palace was one of the only places that didn’t fall during the burning of Trasia. “Sounds rather morbid.”

Kazuki nodded. “Because it is. This place is the centre of Trasian power in this system. It’s a mini-city on its own. There are five garden complexes this is one of them. The rest are available to the bureaucrats, visitors and workers. This one… This is restricted to family-members only.”

Taking another look around the garden, Eliza noted how much of it looked grand, with hanging lanterns by trees, paved moss and cobble gardens and even lakes, ponds and fishing jetties.

But what caught her attention last was a structure… it was within the forest along the path. There seemed to be people there! Eliza took a step forward, trying to make them out.

“Don’t,” said Kazuki, stopping Eliza. It was a gazebo. She looked back towards Kazuki. “Don’t interrupt them.”

At first, Eliza was confused, turning back towards the two. She squinted, unable to see them in detail. “Sorry, who are they?”

“Archius and a friend of ours,” Kazuki said. A sizeable angcat pounced up from the grass, grabbing onto Kazuki. He caught it and started to pet the long and fluffy cat-like creature. “Anyways. Why are you here?”

“I just wondered where you went, Kaz,” she said. In all honesty, she was quite worried - being left alone and surrounded by people she’s never met, even if she was an honoured guest. “And is that cat…”

Kazuki replied, “Just a random one. The Palace has many pet animals, this garden is no different.”

She glanced at the angcat, who purred, before leaping off Kazuki and running back into the grass. He placed his hands in his pockets, with an unchanging face to match a small yawn.

He seemed to chuckle? “The reason why this place is off limits is because of people… Most aren’t that bad. This place, however, is a retreat of sorts.”

“Wait… why?” asked Eliza. As a Geminorum-Ryzaku, Kaz must have been taught how to converse with people, right? Even Eliza was taught the basics of aristocratic communication by her father, though he didn’t seem to like it; probably just to get her to not mess up his reputation or something. “I would have thought you’d know how to.”

“You got it wrong.” Kazuki pushed his hair to the side, trying to fix his exaggerated cowlick to the side. “Humans judge me harshly. Animals and drones do not.”

Eliza thought for a moment. Is it not the saying that animals can see the truth behind people’s facades, that they can tell who is nice and who is rough? If that was the case, then maybe Kazuki’s more innocent than she thought… But she knew him for some time now, even if he was soft on the inside, which was unlikely to her knowledge, Kazuki would never show it. That made Eliza bit warm on the inside.

“The Imperial Family has many retreats across the Trasian Sector. This one is occupied… at the moment,” Kazuki said. “If you want, I could give you one of them. If you want to live here.”

A second home here? That’d be amazing…. “That’s quite nice,” Eliza commented. She then turned around, looking up and above. “I’m guessing they’re not as great as this retreat, though?”

Kazuki pushed himself off from the wall, standing beside her along the path. His uplink blinked for a second as he didn’t answer her, walking along the path as he nodded towards her. She felt obliged to follow him.

Stretching, he answered, “Do not doubt the craftsmanship of those under the Imperial payroll.”

“Sorry… but are you allowed to do that?” asked Eliza. “I mean… I’m just an outsider, you know.”

Kazuki shook his head. “You’re no outsider. You’re a friend of Kazuki. Kazuki is a lonely person. That by itself proves your worth. We have tens of retreats; not exactly running low on them.”

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“Tens?!” That sounded ridiculous… If they were all made to this standard, Eliza would probably feel overwhelmed by the mere property value of it!

“Yeah…” Kazuki started to sound… sad? Eliza turned to him, confused. Did she hit a bad spot? Oh… no… Eliza just remembered why: “The family used to be larger. Tens of people. Made sense for that many retreats…”

A nod was all that Eliza could give to his solemn remarks, but something else took her attention - and his. Eliza’s head dotted around the place, looking up above the treeline. Birds called loudly.

Kazuki then said, “Archius knows we’re here. Come on. Let’s go.”

Starting into a walk, Kazuki walked down the path, slowly trotting. Eliza followed, taking in the view. But just as they entered the forest, something blazed up above… She froze, staring upwards for a second. Was she seeing things? “Do you have your Phoenix here?”

“Good instincts” said Kazuki. “He’s circling us right now. Stay close, it might vaporise you if you don’t.”

His warning sent a shock throughout her body as Eliza instinctively grabbed onto Kazuki’s arm. He didn’t seem to notice, or care at all. But as Eliza looked down at her shaking hands she instinctively let go. “Ah! Sorry…”

“It… was a joke,” Kazuki turned his head towards her. Sarcasm relied mainly on the tone of voice and context… but given both: Eliza had no idea. Instead, she let off a sigh of relief. “Phoenixes do not vaporise their targets. And it’s tamed, don’t worry.”

“Still, you couldn’t have told me that earlier?!” She shouted, slowly trailing behind Kazuki as they approached the gazebo, a few Trasian Purpur foxes passing in front of them. “You really need to improve your sarcastic timings…”

“Oh… do I?” Kazuki paused for a moment, glancing up at the treeline. Then, he continued moving, as if nothing was said. Eliza looked forward, past Kazuki, seeing a familiar figure sitting down at the gazebo, along with another figure she couldn’t discern.

“Archius,” Kazuki called out, attracting the heads of the two people. The first, was of course, Archius Bar-Lyst.

The He gave them a warm wave, though Eliza couldn’t help but feel as if it was fake. “We’re getting something to eat. Want to join us?”

The tanned-skin Mawti man shrugged. “Sure, but…” His eyes drifted towards the second individual.

Eliza couldn’t tell exactly who she was, but she had both a dark green hair, flowing down to below her shoulders, and light bronze skin, just like Archius. But Eliza’s eyes ignored the artificial green of her sparkless eyes, denoting a ‘bell’ like earring attached to her right ear.

Máwti. Eliza’s mind spoke of only one culture that was linked to. The two sat down on woolly creatures, large. Eliza knew those creatures as a domesticated cross of a sheep and cow, from all those textbooks she read.

“Am I allowed to come?” the woman asked, looking at Kazuki, then at Eliza, then at Archius. “I understand if I am not permitted to.”

Kazuki paused for a moment, as both Archius and he exchanged glances. “Sure, you can come. It’ll be an armed escort. Leave the details to me,” he said. For a moment, Eliza felt a strange sensation of regret within the air, lingering for years.

And then, her eyes pierced Eliza’s soul. She… looked… no, that wasn’t the right word, she thought. She felt? No… Thought? No… She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but the only words she could ever muster up for her mind to feel satisfied is that she wasn’t human. It was absolutely rude for her to think that, but her mind cannot fathom any other word for the sense of unease around her.

It was as if everything that she knew was questioned by this one individual. Archius kept a neutral face up, glancing at Eliza.

Kazuki glared at her. He must have noted down that something was wrong, as Eliza’s eyes twisted towards Kazuki, pried off the woman, he spoke, “Pi. Off her shoulder, now.”

The words shook her as she felt a vibration on her shoulder. A red blur phased off her, leaving only the sensation of mild heat… Huh? Glancing at her shoulder, she saw nothing… Her head twisted back to Kazuki.

He had a hand extended out, with a bright, golden-red bird perched on his arm. Though, it wasn’t exactly a bird. It was a Phoenicia-Leviathan, more commonly referred to as the Phoenix.

“That’s a good girl,” he said. He petted the phoenix, Pi squawked at him, only for her to fly back up into the air.

The sight of the phoenix stunned Eliza. A weapon of mass destruction all in one location, just here… “That’s…”

“Her name is Pi,” Kazuki remarked. “The Phoenix became a powerful symbol for the Trasians, along with the other ‘guiding’ Leviathans that led our people here.’

Eliza’s mind has heard of old tales of these birds of greatness, yet to see on in the flesh?! She was amazed and horrified by the possibilities of this one creature, as it flew up above, singing.

“It’s one of the Leviathans that led the refugees of Old Terra?” Eliza seeked confirmation, which was immediately met with a nod from Kazuki.

The woman sitting down extended her own arm out towards it, as it gently perched on her. “There… there… I’ll be gone for a little while, you can look after yourself for a few hours, right?” she asked the leviathan.

And as if understanding human language, it nodded, bowing its head in succession before flying off again. Archius glanced towards Eliza, as he said. “Liz, thought you’d be at university or something.”

“Oh, Kaz brought me along for some shop—”

Archius cut her off with a small chuckle. “I know, I know… So, how’d your first taste of Lautrasia” He nodded towards Kazuki as he stood up.

“Oh… um… I don’t really know?” She was asking herself for an answer. “Well, the planet seems quite hot… very hot… but it’s nice! Don’t get me wrong… and the Phoenix? Well… It didn’t eat me! So I’m happy about that.” She chuckled.

The woman laughed as she stood up in turn. Though… it wasn’t the only thing that stood up. Rising from the ground, hidden when she sat down, were several machines. They were attached to her from the back, like how Kazuki’s exospine is attached to his. Though the apparatus was much larger, much more noticeable. Eliza could denote a few things about it… Heating modulators, radiators, regulatory valves and even stimulant injection ports.

From what she’s seen with Kazuki’s implants, they seemed like a rudimentary copy of his life support system… Just… who was this person?

She… tried her best to hide the shock, as the woman shone a broken smile. “Liz, was it?” she asked in a gentle and courteous manner.

Eliza nodded, trying to avoid the horrible realisations… Her knowledge on cybernetics made it known to Eliza just how horrific this is. It’s a life support system, mobile. This is, verbatim, what Kazuki has - but on such a scale! “Elizabeth Celeste-Delmara, a pleasure to meet you.”

How old was she? Did… no, she couldn’t have. But how would that explain the machines? Eliza’s face slowly fell to concern, as she could only conclude one thing, but she dare not say it.

“I didn’t know Kazu had many friends!” she shouted, with a vibrant, fragmented smile, smirking towards Kazuki. She shifted her overjoyed gaze to Eliza. “Jasyme the keeper of the Imperial Gardens, a… friend? of…” She looked towards Archius.

The voice didn’t match her body whatsoever… It was like a walking corpse.

“Archius…” he replied, seemingly needing to rejog Jasyme’s memories.

Jasyme paused for a moment, before looking at Archius. “Archius? Wait but… No… Yousef?” A perplexing thought came over her face.

For a moment, Eliza was dumbfounded by her comment. Jasyme knows Archius’ real name? Wait… Just who is she? Eliza couldn’t answer the question herself, finding herself stupidly staring straight-forward.

Archius sighed, as a fox crept up from behind, rubbing and walking around his legs. He dusted Jasyme’s shoulders, helping tighten the machines attached to her.

“Archius, it’s always been Archius.”

Jasyme simply nodded. “Aha!” She placed a finger against her chin, thinking. She then smiled once again, crooked in the edges as she wrapped an arm around Archius’ shoulder.. “You’ll be busy? Wait… right? Yeah?”

Archius chuckled, shrinking away slightly. Woah… This person can ‘tame’ Archius?! Jasyme exuded an air of shattered confidence, willpower, all in her voice and smile - yet whispered into the winds.

Kazuki walked past her, grabbing onto Eliza’s arm. “Come on, let’s get a move on!” he shouted back towards them, before lowering his voice towards Eliza. “Do. Not. Stare.”

Helping her up, Archius answered her question. “Dunno, Kazu?”

“Dinner?” Kazuki suggested. He didn’t sound all that sure himself. “Might as well, the cruise is tomorrow, after all.”

“Oh! Then perhaps may I partake?” Jasyme asked, as if remembering everything.

Kazuki waited a moment. “Sure. I’ll have a word to get a reservation at one of the hidden restaurants.”

“Hidden restaurants?” Eliza inquired.

Jasyme raised her hand, as if answering a question at school. “It’s one of those… those… restaurants… That are like… secret, knowledge thingy only.”

For a moment, Eliza could hear Archius awkwardly chuckle. Woah… Woahhhhhhh… Eliza’s mind floated through a galaxy of confusion. “It’s for those seeking more privacy, Liz, you saw how chaotic it was for Kaz earlier, right?”

“Fair… enough.”

Archius was always a bit ‘smooth’, but here it seems that Archius was the one that was on the receiving end of a flirtatious assault.

“I…” Eliza trailed off, “Just…”

“And do not speak. Archius is very sensitive about this. And remember: not a word to anyone.” Kazuki tapped her on the arm. She looked at him, eye to eye, level to level.

The idea of Archius being sensitive at all was completely foreign to Eliza… She’s seen him smile, laugh, joke, even parts of how he truly thinks beneath the mask - yet… sensitive? Was Archius just another person like the rest of them?

She nodded. “Alright.”

He was glaring, staring at her with a sensation of severity that she hasn’t felt from him ever. “I owe Archius as much as he owes me. But for this… I’m still in his debt.”

She hadn’t even realised that he was tightening his grasp on her arm, as her eyes bolted down towards his hand. He immediately released it, as she said, “Okay… I understand. But… I can’t help but wonder…”

“Then keep your wondering to yourself,” he snapped. Kazuki glanced back towards the two. Eliza did the same, seeing Archius help her walk.

Within the corner of his eye, Eliza could see Archius’ stare at her. Given the circumstances, Eliza strangely empathised with him… Was this just another ‘facade’ of Archius? Or was this a true representation of who he is?

Eliza didn’t know… She couldn’t tell, nor deduce.

“As far as you’re concerned. She’s just a normal human. Got it?” Kazuki asked. Eliza turned her head forward, nodding in turn.

“Good,” he said, in a snarling but monotone voice.

“She… forgets…” Eliza trailed off.

Kazuki stated one thing he knew was true: “Sometimes forgetting is a mercy.”

For Eliza, she can only continue to wonder… For just a lens into Archius’ life, just who was she? For even Kazuki to deny her information, it must mean something, right? Yet Eliza’s curiosity kept running wildly, soaring through the stars with whatever knowledge she may have.

He allowed Eliza to walk up ahead for a bit, as Archius joined up beside him. “So…” he started.

Kazuki sighed. “Didn’t expect her to come down here.”

“Yeah, could tell,” remarked Archius, scoffing. “After what happened to Jasyme, I’d prefer to keep her… alive.”

Keep her alive… Protect her. Kazuki nodded. Failures bleed heavily, he thought, he cannot fail again.