The medical bay was eerily filled with robotic arms, screens, holograms, and beeping machinery. Shiria was lying on a bed, her eyes closed as Kaeron sat beside her.
“Uhm, AI…?” She looked at her wristband, trying to talk to the robotic voice. “Gosh, what was its name? Uhm...Chronos?”
“Model CHRON.05 at your service. Do you require assistance?” The wristband lit up with the hologram and the AI’s symbol.
“How is Shiria doing? I just put her down and...I see thousands of things on these screens. I’m not a doctor.”
“I apologize. I do not recognize anyone in the room labeled as ‘’Shiria’’.”
“Come on, you know what I mean. The girl in front of me,” she groaned, rolling her eyes.
“Right. Guest#2039842.” The AI pronounced her ‘’name’’ slowly and fastidiously. “According to the medical bay’s data, the girl is in perfect shape. A recent fainting episode was detected, however. The recommendation is hydration and respite.”
“Perfect shape...” Kaeron sighed, “What about her amnesia? How can she be in perfect shape if she doesn’t remember anything?”
“I apologize, I can’t satisfyingly answer your question. However, note that the medical bay’s technology has an accuracy of diagnosis that reaches 99%. Nothing related to memory loss was found. Such as trauma, psychological distress, or other similar causes.”
“Hm…” Kaeron nodded, “Listen, uhm...could this girl be a stowaway?”
The AI stood silent for an unusual amount of seconds before processing an output. “No. Passengers on the Elysium are thoroughly checked before they can enter the ship. Moreover, guest#2039842 is in my database, despite the fact I cannot find her invitation. She is not a stowaway.”
Kaeron nodded, thanked the AI and the wristband’s hologram faded away. Soon after, Shiria opened her eyes. She looked at Kaeron with a confused expression.
“Hey there. You fainted,” she immediately explained, “I got you checked. You’re completely fine….and the AI said you’re not a stowaway either.”
“W-What about my memories?” Shiria asked, rising from the bed and looking around the medical bay, curious.
“The AI...said it couldn’t find a cause,” Kaeron replied, shrugging, “I’m sorry.”
Shiria sighed, her face showing worry. “It’s okay,” she shrugged, “how...how long is this trip anyway?”
“The Elysium departed from Genso-34’s docks two days ago. The trip will last for a week and five days, we’ll end up on the same dock,” Kaeron replied, “you might as well just enjoy, right? We’re all here to have fun, after all. You’ll find more info about yourself at the docks, where you probably left your vehicle and everything in it,” she said, heading towards the room’s exit doors.
“Genso...what?” Shiria furrowed her eyebrows.
“A space station,” Kaeron said, stopping in her tracks and turning around, “you...you truly don’t remember anything, huh?”
Those words made Shiria thoughtful. It should have been obvious but...only at that moment she realized she had a life before all this. Apparently, humanity can travel through planets and space stations.
“No...I don’t know anything,” she shook her head.
“Answer me one thing…” Kaeron muttered, crossing her arms, “Do you know what is your vocation?”
“Vocation? What is that?”
Kaeron widened her eyes, a little gasp only audible by herself. Her emotion didn’t last long, though...replaced by her usual, cold expression, followed by a very disappointing: “Just...relax. Okay? Don’t worry about your memories, they’ll come back. I know it. Enjoy the Elysium with the rest of us. Let us be friends.”
After that, Kaeron left.
Shiria was full of questions. She wanted answers...but she also realized a recreational cruise wasn’t the right place.
And so, she decided to listen to Kaeron’s words. There was no point in searching for an explanation immediately. Her fresh, innocent mind only wanted one thing now: explore the cruise and...have fun!
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The cruise was definitely what it was meant to be. There were lots of things to do.
First, Shiria felt drawn towards the cruise’s pub. A dimly-lit, small place with jazz music constantly on. At its table, sat one of the cruise’s passengers, sipping on a cocktail.
“H-Hi there…!” Shiria quietly muttered, sitting beside the woman.
image [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/33sl1hfv56gvazhh45iwu/artist_missile_228-amazing-quality-very-aesthetic-absurdres-black-backgroun-ss-2930663656.png?rlkey=8b7hlyqzc6zwvgsxt774p1fc7&st=9vj2aw0b&raw=1]
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“My my, what is a little girl doing here?” She snickered.
A tall woman with purple hair, a mischievous smile, and amethyst-colored eyes. She giggled as she scanned Shiria’s attire, while hers was way more elegant.
Shiria pouted cutely, “I may not have my memories! But I don’t look little!”
“Aww, hahaha! I’m just messing with you, little one~” the woman chuckled softly, ruffling Shiria’s hair, “Elysium doesn’t invite minors.”
“O-Oh…” Shiria blushed in embarrassment, looking over the counter, “how do I order a drink?”
“Just say it out loud. What you’d like to drink.”
“Uhm...I don’t know any drinks,” Shiria admitted embarrassed.
The woman smiled broadly and chuckled, almost amused. She decided then to order for the poor Shiria.
“I’d like a sex on the beach for this lovely lady here!”
Shiria tried her best not to react to that word. Luckily, the wave of embarrassment faded away as the magic unfolded right in front of her eyes...from the ceiling, two robotic arms started preparing the cocktail in front of her with incredible speed. It was soon served.
“Go on! Taste it!” The woman said, chuckling again.
Shiria reluctantly took a sip and immediately coughed, almost spilling the whole thing over herself. The woman beside her laughed, slamming her hand on the table hard.
“I don’t like it!” Shiria said, getting off the stool. “You knew it was going to burn so much! Right?!”
“Yes. I did…” the woman dried her tears off her face. “I am sorry. You clearly look like someone who has never touched alcohol. Couldn’t lose my occasion.”
Shiria laughed softly, brushing the little prank off her shoulders. “What is your name?” She asked.
“I am Azrael, sweetheart.” She bowed her head. “I am...a traveler of the cosmos. Just like many of us here. I enjoy spending my wealth around. Luckily I didn’t have to pay for all this…” she gestures towards the other side of the counter...towards the countless bottles of very expensive drinks.
“How did you get your invite?” Shiria asked, trying to understand a little more about how she got on this luxurious cruise herself.
“Well…” Azrael leaned into the stool’s back. "That’s a tale I could spend hours telling, little one. But let's just say...connections in high places and a bit of fortune got me here," she winked, her eyes shimmering with mischief. "But you, sweetheart, seem to be an even bigger mystery than I am. Not to be...offensive but, you do not strike as someone...remarkable.”
Shiria frowned. “Well...I wish I knew. I am very curious about it, actually.”
“Time will tell. We’ll all eventually get off this cruise and you’ll manage to find yourself. I believe in you.” Azrael smiled warmly.
Shiria nodded and looked at the pub’s exit. As if on cue, its doors opened...letting inside another person.
image [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tkg6l3aijj4l0l86ahjno/artist_missile_228-amazing-quality-very-aesthetic-absurdres-dark-background-s-4037914664.png?rlkey=gg7hmpc60lvg4r2nj77ti7jkt&st=874ovaqa&raw=1]
“Ah! The stowaway is finally awake!”
A blonde girl with wavy and fluffy hair snickered at her as she walked closer. How could Shiria ever forget her? She’s the childlike-looking girl who called her a liar. Her blue eyes didn’t feel calm at all...they looked rather chaotic.
“The AI said I’m not.” Shiria crossed her arms and put up a smug smile.”
“Oh yeah? Really?” The girl giggled, placing her index on her chin. “Then what about your memory loss?”
“It...said it doesn’t know how or why.” Shiria’s smug smile faded immediately. “But I’m not lying, I swear! Maybe I have a condition...I don’t know!”
“So...the AI doesn’t know your real name, and it cannot find your invitation. But you claim not to be a stowaway?”
“Lilin, please, cut it. She had enough worries for her first hours here, no?”
Azrael intervened, stopping ‘’Lilin’’.
“Ah, fine. Whatever.” Lilin shrugged, joining Azrael at the counter. “Have fun at the Elysium, ‘’Shiria’’. Ah-hahah~!”
Shiria left, hearing Lilin’s odd laughter leaving her something very displeasing in the back of her mind.
“Don’t worry...Shiria. Or whoever you are. You’ll be fine. Just like Kaeron said!”
Speaking of Kaeron, Shiria still hadn’t thanked her for helping her out two times in a row. She wanted to find her.
----------------------------------------
“Hm...maybe she’s here!”
Kaeron’s whole aesthetic looked very fitting of the next location Shiria decided to explore...the library. It was cozy, warm, and it obviously smelled of books. There were countless shelves of countless genres and authors ready to be explored. Yet Shiria didn’t really care about those. She wanted to find Kaeron.
She called for her name.
“Kaeron? Are you here?”
Silence.
“Kaeron!”
image [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/409637y59rbbedepujvq7/artist_missile_228-amazing-quality-very-aesthetic-absurdres-dark-background-s-4289988207.png?rlkey=4ccq5wikkgjofaebi55xqrg7m&st=fae39qpy&raw=1]
“Don’t you know the first rule of libraries? Silence.”
Instead of Kaeron, Shiria was surprised by someone else as soon as she turned a specific corner. A brown-haired girl with short, wavy hair. Her green eyes shone under the library's light. She sat down on a small reading chair. Her legs crossed, her expression a mix of annoyance and surprise. Her dress was very cozy but also elegant.
“A-Ah...s-sorry. Do you know where Kaeron is?” Shiria asked in a quiet tone.
“I am not friends with any of the passengers. Don’t ask me.” She shrugged.
“Well...we can be friends! We can become friends now!” Shiria giggled, offering her hand. “I am...Shiria. Momentarily.”
The girl raised her brow, trying to understand Shiria’s overly friendly behavior. After some time, though, she held out her hand and squeezed Shiria’s briefly. “I take it that the AI didn’t provide you any aid for your memory loss, am I right? Do you at least know the cause?”
“Nope. No cause...no solution. They basically just told me to enjoy the Elysium and deal with it after I get off. I’m not a stowaway either, according to them.”
“Told you.”
“Ah! Right...you’re the...engineer!”
“Yes. I am Alicia. My vocation is Athenis’. I build puppets.”
“Ah...what’s a vocation? Can you tell me?”
“You...you forgot your vocation?” Alicia widened her eyes, just like Kaeron at the same question. “Wow. It must be...very serious, whatever is going on with you,” she chuckled in disbelief.
Shiria sighed. “Can you just tell me?”
“Ah...well...vocations are what rules us as living beings,” Alicia explained briefly. “You see, our universe is ruled by gods. Many of them. A vocation is something you get when you’re a newborn. You have a dream before coming out of your mother’s uterus, and then, as you grow up, you start remembering it. The dream is you talking to the deity who has chosen to give you their blessing.”
“Woah. How many gods are there?” Shiria asked curiously, leaning against the library shelf with her arms crossed.
“Many. New ones pop out every now and then, and probably other galaxies have thousands more. However, there are the most common ones. There should be some books about them around here, I don’t wanna bore you with a lecture,” Alicia replied, switching her crossed legs. She probably meant she didn’t want to bother herself with that last sentence.
“So...your god is Athe...Athesin…?”
“She is a goddess and her name is Athenis.” Alicia sighed, shaking her head, “Yes. Athenis is the goddess of wisdom, courage, strategy and goodwill. I...honestly have only the ‘’wisdom’’ bit in me.”
“Oh. Okay. What do you think my deity is?”
“I cannot tell with a simple interaction,” Alice chuckled. “You’re funny. I’m glad you’re not some annoying brat. It’ll be nice to have you around for these two weeks...as long as I get out of this beautiful library to see you, that is.”
Shiria smiled warmly, nodding. “Yes! I’ll...try to be everyone’s friend.”
“Hm. Good.” Her smile faded immediately, though. Her eyes went back to the book, focused. “Now, please, I’d like to be left alone.”
Shiria didn’t say anything else and left the library, resuming her search for her kind helper Kaeron.