Past the gray rocky lunar surface of the natural satellite is its neighbor whom it circles around, the great green globe with blues in between the chunks of land, the planet so close the browns too can be seen in the continents below the white swirls of clouds. Even from such a distance the Earth is monolithic, even when only being one of a hundred, no longer the central home of life in the system as its significance is contended with all the others that orbit the same central sun. Although that is not to say this particular Earth lacks any definitive traits that puts it above the rest, for that would be far from the truth, as this one especially may in fact stand above as one of the most significant given. In the highway of the Superverse this was at the center, perhaps not the one all orbits around in the cosmic sense but perhaps so in another.
While there are white dots across the landscape of stars, centers of other homes, there are other glowing dots although blue that instead have perceivable moments emerging from the planet’s atmosphere, soaring off into the vacant space in a straight line although some then curl away on their own paths. There are a handful of clusters but even they are miniscule compared to the gargantuan size of the Earth, for man’s inventions are imperceivable to the grandiose setting of nature. Although in truth this planet does typically harbor significantly more traffic, it is only that this current side–the Eastern Hemisphere– receiving the light does not, as while it is definitely part of the planet it is not precisely the most significant one. In fact the population on this side is magnitudes less than that of the West, the two sides almost two planets in how vastly different they are, one made of grass and the other metal. A cautious balance made from the necessity to maintain a degree of nature’s presence, for without it man’s wouldn’t last either. Only so far one can advance before they begin collapsing, a warning that had been dealt with long ago during the lengthy history of advanced human civilization.
Most of the moving lights that can be seen from the moon are ones moving off of the planet, out of the atmosphere from the white swirls into the great black abyss, although there is a single one that enters from that very abyss and instead soars towards the planet, a sole blue traveler making its way from the ends of infinity to the atmosphere as it passes the other lights going in the opposite direction.
From the lunar floor that entity was merely a blue light, but in actuality it is the large black SUV pod that races beside the black void of stars, although completely silent in the vacuum. The pod does not have any visible windows, in fact it’s difficult to notice any ridges for doors as the shell itself is solid and sleek. Most of its body is a solid black, and from a glance it appears to be any commercial SUV vehicle, although upon more careful observation there’s a white crest on the side in the shape of a shield, for in fact it was a governmental machine that had to be taken for escape.
The pod continues to soar through the void until the black landscape around transitions instead to a dark blue, although it's a blue that gradually gets stronger. The stars get dimmer as the blue gets brighter, and a few noctilucent clouds pass by the pod as it continues its straight path, racing in silence.
Only moments later however is when from nowhere forms a blaring hum coming from the pod itself, a hum exuding from the engine that propels the vehicle deeper into the atmosphere. It is only seconds after the hum is present however until the body of the pod itself vanishes in the white blanket of the clouds, where it’s no longer traceable in the white void, the black of space now gone from the landscape, same as its sparkling stars.
Exclusively in the interior can any of the pod be seen, although not the shell but instead the black internal illuminated at first with blue streaks as lightstrips, although those streaks dim until fully vanishing as it’s substituted for the natural lighting inside the atmosphere.
At least the lighting is sufficient for the two passengers at the back of the pod who stare ahead, one with a bald head and the other with long pink hair, as well as the driver at the front although only hardly visible from the back with only a glimmer of a side profile with a few amber strands poking out. They all stare at the white void that has consumed them, the engine’s blasting hum piercing them in its reentry, the hull managing to avoid burning up as there isn’t even a single flame visible outside.
Moments after entering the white chasm, exit is made as clarity is provided with a view of green, as while there are still white swirls below they are far sparser. So high up there is a vast picture of the natural landscape below, mountains and sierras visible from the distance although their heights hard to judge compared to the ground from above, distant forests only slightly distinguished by their texture and slightly darker shade. There is hardly any visible civilization, as it is so scarce and spread out that it nearly vanishes from the abundance of natural greens. At the very least there are visible lines across the surface that may indicate roads, although from so high up they lack any color or texture. The scarcity of them too makes them blend in better, as they provide the bare minimum of necessary guidelines without too heavily obstructing the fields.
While the two passengers gaze aloof, definitely interested in their destination but distracted by the overall view of the reentry as they glance at the windows to their sides to stare at the sky, Dana at the front maintains her determined glare directed straight ahead with no shift, keeping her focus trained to one singular point of interest. Her amber bangs are parted to the side to allow perfect visibility for her green irises, waiting until her own naked eyes can lay on the home the man had to have returned to.
Subtly the engine’s hum begins to slightly dampen as of course the pod can’t bolt straight into the surface, although it only dampens as little as needed to still maximize safe speed, standards specifically to the driver’s as the pod still drives well faster than what’d be recommended for regular drivers, ones with limitations she doesn’t have.
The ability to continue moving so fast even so close to the ground allows for greater detail to be made out faster, textures becoming clearer and specs becoming structures as houses start to become identifiable off in the distance beside the roads. With more clarity brought to the landscape, there is a spec straight in the center of the pod’s trajectory that renders out to be some sort of crater, a great hole in the middle of the fields, which happens to neighbor one of the lines as though it’s meant to connect.
Instantly upon notice of the hole, Dana’s eyes expand in concern as her persistent glare morphs into a worrisome gaze, and she mutters under her breath: “No….” Those words at the same time compel both Kokei and Ekitai to naturally glance forward in curiosity only to be met with the same site that entrances them, first causing them puzzlement as they’re not entirely certain of what they were seeing.
Kokei’s eyes peer sharper as she mutters inquisitively, “Wait a second…isn’t that our…oh…,” as the realization shifts her perplexion to dread, her mouth opening as Ekitai captures the same epiphany with a similar express of despair, uttering too: “So that’s what happened….”
Where once stood the grand estate, the enormous mansion with silver towers behind the vast peace driveway and in front of the beautifully colored garden by the forest, instead is a monstrous crater that stretches all the way from the black road to the aforementioned forest. From above the hole’s depth can be vaguely identified as cavernous, penetrating every layer of earth until leading to a hollow abyss where only faint glimmers can mark a potential bottom, or at the very least another layer.
The view zooms in due to the reduction of distance from the incoming pod, although the rate of zoom decreases along with the volume of the engine hum as the pod decelerates now close to the ground.
The surface gets closer and more detail can be rendered, even texturing of the grass, although one note is the lack of any beings in the area.
All three of the allies just stare dreadfully at the hole of their former home; Kokei tries to ask quietly, “Wait…it’s all-,” before being interrupted by Dana who states, “I’m parking beside it,” before her gaze regains some of its determination although not fully cleansed of perturbation.
Her stare fixates on the windshield screen which helps her navigate the pod closer to the road as the engine’s hum becomes a gentle buzz. The pod approaches the empty road, for there are no travelers in the area, as in truth the road has little purpose in the day and serves almost more cosmetically. It does at least provide a hard surface that the pod can reach, tilting upwards to align itself with the proper planetary surface, slowing down further until it hardly moves and its engine is hardly audible. Finally the pod descends a few more feet until it’s only barely hovering over the road, the engine no longer to be heard, and that’s when all four of the pod doors dematerialize even including the front passenger’s despite nobody to exit from.
Such unnecessities are not thought of though as immediately the three allies fling themselves off of their seats and onto the road, Dana and Kokei emerging on the left side and Ekitai on the right, all of them cautiously walking to the left of the road as Ekitai merges with them, their paces cautious.
Such caution is warranted indeed, for it is not too many more steps ahead on the green grass that the edge resides, an edge with no slope such that a slip is unforgiving and an instant fall into the absolute depth. Dana even steps ahead of the two to put her arm out in front of Kokei as a signal to be additionally careful, although Ekitai remains by Dana’s side as he looks over the breach that has consumed every inch of the estate.
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Beyond the straight drop at the edge of the crater is the vortex to the nothingness, a black pit from above where while its cover has been severed it still maintains its soulless energy. From one point to the other side the gap stretches long, destruction on this scale only unwitnessed by others due to the lack of population in the region, for a calamity like this in an urban center would have consumed the media and likely many lives with it. At the far other end of the pit are the trees that once stood as backdrop to the garden, with some of their roots now jutting out of the slice, as few of them just barely cling to the earth only a few feet from plummet.
In silence Kokei and Ekitai just stare at the site of utter annihilation, Kokei visibly aghast and Ekitai just stunned, although Dana’s attention quickly switches as she begins turning her head around frantically for better view of the area, her pupils flashing golden before lenses are overlaid on her irises, providing her enhanced perception for deeper reconnaissance.
While surveying with the swift turns of her head, she urgently asks: “Did any of you see him? I didn’t see him overhead but maybe I missed something, I mean he has to be here, you’re right Kokei he did come here last time so he should be here now.”
However Kokei’s gaze remains fixed on the pit and she takes another step forward, her chest bumping against Dana’s arm halting her movement, only gaining about a foot which provides little additional insight. In her defeated gaze she mutters in a voice hardly projected, “I…said that thinking there would still be a home for him to return to.”
Beside her Ekitai glances with perplexity before he then mentions genuinely, “Wait a second, but if this is supposed to be the ‘all powerful Meditat’ who just made those two giant titan things, wouldn’t he have a better chance at just rebuilding it? I mean I know ‘our’ Meditat might’ve not had the juice for it but shouldn’t…you know?”
Between the both of them Dana hums to herself in contemplation, her head lowered to the point before then admitting, “I’m not actually sure…I mean maybe it was still too much but at the very least he could’ve probably restored The Pad…or wait let me check.”
She then takes a step forwards, warranting Kokei to divert her attention to her as she was only about a foot from the drop, but before she could do anything Dana’s body lifts off the ground with the support of four golden tentacles protruding from her back.
All four of the tentacles clamp to the dirt by the edge and bend at will, positioning Dana’s body over the pit and rotating her at a slight angle downward as Kokei’s fear is calmed. She instead just watches Dana gaze straight into the abyss as does Ekitai, waiting for her report.
Through the golden tinted vision of the cyborg, the dark fog of the pit is alleviated digitally to reveal the lake beneath that just slightly glimmers with specs dotted all over it, specs that are given better fidelity through a zoom in.
Upon the zoom, said specs are revealed to be an array of small objects, some of them just debris like planks of golden wood and other light chunks of furniture, and amongst the wreckage of broken equipment there is a pool of even smaller items, items that require further enhancement.
That granted, those items are better interpreted to be figurines, humanoid figures some of which are dressed in traditional formal uniforms with blazers and skirts and others in fantastical suits like oversized armor over twice the size of the wearer designed representative of medieval knight gear. However, the figurines are broken whether their bodies are split into pieces or their fabrics have been ripped away, as even they were not spared.
Waiting for the analysis, Kokei returns her gaze back to the pit, unable to get the level of discernment as Dana but still knowing deep down what that level of discernment would generally reveal, nothing that’d make her feel better. She frowns with a low head, a somberness noticed by Ekitai who frowns too before gazing back at the pit. He sighs before attempting the jest, “Man, and we just started doing those renovations, it actually kinda started looking pretty good.”
To the joke though Kokei doesn’t show humor but instead mutters under her breath, “Everything started looking pretty good…why did it all have to go away…?”
Upon seeing the failure of comedy at the moment, Ekitai bites his tongue and lowers his head, understanding that wouldn’t do much good given the genuine heartache of his friend.
“It’s all gone,” announces Dana’s voice ahead which raises both Kokei’s and Ekitai’s heads to her, both with slightly inquisitive expressions.
Over the ledge, held on by a mere four tentacles saving her from an eternal fall, Dana hovers as her lenses dissolve into streaks that return to her pupil that then blackens, her enhancements reverting as they’re no longer needed to provide the report: “He really did destroy everything, he brought the manor and the fortress down together. There’s nothing left to recover….”
Her tentacles then bring her back away from the pit before resting her feet on the ground, returning her to safety before being pulled back into her body and vanishing. She grimaces in the agony of her own statement before then turning around and walking towards the pod, not wanting to keep staring at such a horrid sight.
Ekitai notices Dana’s departure with the turn of his head and he inquires, “So where are we going next?”
That question halts Dana for a moment, her back still turned on him as she faces the pod. After a few seconds she answers, “I don’t know,” before she continues ambling towards the pod.
With that inconclusive conclusion Ekitai glances at Kokei and announces, “Well seems our blue boy isn’t here so not much point staying.”
Frowning subtly as the cyan sunlight grazes his bald head, Ekitai huffs before gently requesting, “Come on…Kokei…let’s go.”
Despite the call, Kokei doesn’t move away, in fact she instead takes a step closer to the edge which immediately concerns Ekitai with widened yellow eyes as her body drops.
At the very edge Kokei sits down, cushioning herself on the grass right where the ground stops, her legs dangling off freely which she lets swing back and forth. Ekitai’s concern alleviates with a relieved sigh, and he just watches Kokei stare down at the pit after she rejects his echo of Dana’s silent command.
Instead she glumly explains, “I know it’s gone…I know it’s all gone…I know he’s gone…. It’s just…I don’t know…I know this isn’t even my home…I was invited to it…and I was allowed to stay past my expiration date. And I know I held everyone back but I just…I actually liked it here…everything felt so…familial.”
Staring into the bottomless pit with her two hands gripping the edge as the little support keeping more than just her legs from swinging off, she continues: “I know the real homeowner is gone…and in the end I was nothing more than a guest.”
Tears form in her pink eyes as strands of hair face the direction she does: down. Holding them back, she confesses despairingly, “But…I don’t want to just leave it all…I know I actually have my own house but…this was a real home….”
Gloomy too to his friend’s proclamation especially to its relatability, Ekitai frowns facing her unable to find any words to pull her as if anything she had better persuaded him to stay in place.
Behind him by the pod stands Dana, who stops and glances back at the two with a frown, understanding their hesitancy to continue the search past this point.
Frowning too, Dana lowers her head in meditation while trying to find the words to get them back into the retrieval, however whilst searching for those words her eyebrow raises in deeper wonder, until all the sudden an epiphany strikes her by the shock on her face which she raises.
“Wait, I got it!” exclaims Dana, calling Ekitai’s attention along with even Kokei who turns her head although still seated at the edge.
At the center of attention now, Dana steps towards them before announcing, “I think I know where he is, or at least where he would’ve gone from here! But come on, we need to get there before he can leave again, because after this I don’t know where he’d go!”
Both Ekitai and Kokei exchange glances to each other, as though having their own silent conversation in reaction. They just stare at the other for a few seconds with the same gloomy but contemplative expression until they then both nod simultaneously, and Ekitai offers his hand which Kokei after another second grabs onto, swinging her legs over to the ground and letting him help pull her off the ground to her feet. She stands up straight and dusts herself off the dirt before the two turn to the pod, specifically to Dana standing in front of it.
All of the pod’s doors still open, Dana then turns around and slips herself into the driver’s seat as Kokei and Ekitai walk up to the vehicle, Ekitai walking ahead and crawling in through the passenger’s doorway before scooting himself to the other side, allowing Kokei to throw herself through the same doorway to get to her own seat.
All of the three seated in the pod, the four doors materialize from nanite clouds and close the pod, allowing its engine to hum louder as it levitates higher off the ground and pulls forwards. The pod picks up speed over the road as the hum gets louder, and it continues to ascend higher into the air. While it does reach higher and access greater speeds as it departs the site, it doesn’t take the drastic angling and boosts that’d be tradition for interplanetary travel, instead it just flies off into the distance as it inclines to the clouds.
It doesn’t take very long for the large SUV pod to regress into a small black dot, leaving the crater in the place that once held their dear home, the tremendously gargantuan manor with the sleek underground fortress, although such terms were the superficial definition of the house, as in truth it was the warm and recluse haven of the four who could work together, eat together, and live together.
Not another meal could be had in the dining room, not another meeting could take place in the cave, not another plant could fit in the garden, not another experience could be made within the house for it no longer stood.
Now all that is left of the home are the three guests who were invited to stay, the three guests who now are in search of the man who owned the home, who is now somewhere lost just like them.
Somewhere also staring down at the dark abyss.