There's many things unique about Anasea, the city Eunike lives in. In fact, it may be the most unique city in the world. Why? Because its existence proves something. As Eunike walked through Taipei street, through the bustling crowd of people who wanted to try the local street vendors, she was reminded of what that something was. Anasea was a joint project, a project proposed by several countries in the UN almost four decades ago, a project for a city that symbolizes unity.
It was initially meant for European countries, then it spread to the west, then east, then everywhere, a project that initially involved a dozen or so countries now involved the entirety of the world. The original name of Europhan changed to Anasea, with each letter taken from the first letter of every continent except for Antarctica. It started small, then it grew as more and more efforts were put in, many said it was a ridiculous wet dream, and yet many persisted in reaching it.
The city grew, and it didn't show any sign of stopping any time soon, it was almost like magic. And perhaps a dream, seeing every country put aside their differences for once, and work together, it was considered an impossibility before Anasea started to become promising. It was first built in Germany, now, it’s gotten so large and so significant that if compared to Europe, Anasea would be a little less than half as big.
Anasea, to put it simply, was a city the size of a small continent, that had multiple parts of it in different countries, you could be driving down the street, to visit that one donut shop you really liked, and suddenly you’re in Russia even though not a second ago you’re in germany.
All possible because people of the world came to their senses and realized they're all the same for once. Anasea was more than an achievement, it’s a testament, not for countries, but for humanity as a whole. It isn't the perfect city, many issues persist, from political to social, especially social issues, with the city inhabited by people from all over the world, with around 2,5 billion inhabitants, it was bound to happen.
They said Anasea was impossible because it’s a Utopia, but no one ever said that it was one, it was never meant to be, it was a symbol. A symbol that marks that it is indeed possible for humanity to achieve anything in unity. Now it stands proud, like no other, humanity's beloved mega city, sometimes she forgets how lucky she is to live here, it can be quite the blessing sometimes.
Or a curse, because walking through a dense crowd isn't comfortable in the slightest, it took her some time to arrive where she needed to, a small apartment building, next to a colossal hotel. Whoever the owner is, they must've had some beef with Matador hotels because part of the hotel hovers above the apartment.
Some diamond headed Korean it must be, she knows because she did some research before going here. And also because they’re outside, arguing with a vendor, she can hear some curses in between the use of native language.
“excuse me…”
“What? I’m busy here!”
He spoke with surprising fluency, honestly it shouldn't have been surprising.
“Do you know… uhm… William J. Williams?”
“Hmm? Oh i do, it's the man on the top floor”
“Of your apartment?”
“What else, lady? Wait, how do you know?”
“I’ve done my research…. Anyway, is he available?”
“He never leaves his room, go figure”
“Right… thanks”
—-~----
Eunike stood in front of a peculiar door, it has a different color than every other door in the apartment. The reason why that is probably isn't so special, judging from the broken door leaning on the wall next to her. She knocked a few times for no response, she had to knock a bit harder, it feels a bit impolite, but at least it got someone to speak.
“*Who’s there?*”
“Mr. Williams?”
“*Yes, that's me, what do you want?*”
“I’m Eunike L. Surjavinata, from black dog private investigator, i’m here to talk with you”
“*Oh? Have you made any progress?*”
“We have, but i need to talk to you”
“*Come in then, door’s unlocked*”
“It’s… not?”
“*it is now*”
There was a sudden click, and a beep followed by the door opening. It opened up to… well… a miserable place, a small apartment without a toilet, even Daniel’s room had its own toilet. It was chock full of random items that reeked of sweat and expired deodorant. There's only one bed, a small desk and plastic chair inside, a somewhat American looking man in his mid 40’s is sitting on said chair, on his desk lies a laptop that seems to be quite an old model.
“Come in, and close the door”
She walked inside with some hesitation and closed the door behind her, there was an electronic lock on the door that locked automatically.
“So what you got?”
The man asked, this must be William, she thought. He had white hair mixed with gray and black, more out of genes than age it seems. His beard is messy and untreated, just like his clothes that were piling up on one corner of the room.
“We… well… we couldn't find much on the crime scene, the police department didn't let us see the body or the evidence they collected, though it’s not like we could gather much other than maybe cause of death… but we did find something…”
“Mhm? Yeah?”
“So we’ve been looking into your brother's background, his connections… and It seems possible that your brother has been targeted-”
“I knew it!”
“Uhm… pardon?”
“i know those fuckers did it! They want to stop what we were doing!”
“what are you talking about sir-”
“There, look!”
He gestured to something behind her, she turned around and found a board she didn't notice before filled with notes, old newspapers, photos and documents. It’s almost like those stereotypical boards in movies where some weird guy is doing some research on obscure stuff, it just lacks the red threads, what it has instead is some tack pins.
“What am I looking at?”
“evidence!”
“For what exactly?”
“Listen… this may sound crazy, but i believe the world as a whole… is under the control of a secret organization”
Suddenly, she felt disinterested.
“I’m sorry mister William, but let's keep this professional, you can't-”
“I am keeping it professional! I wouldn't tell you otherwise! Listen! Me and my brother have been looking around for them for years! And we finally found some solid evidence!”
“What's so solid about some papers on a board?”
“Don't you see it?! I know you know this as well! It couldn't be Lancaster who sends the Hitman! You knew it had to be someone else! And let me tell you there is no reason for me to call a hit on my own brother! You know there's a third party in this!”
“Indeed, but i wasn't gonna say that it’s a secret organization, i’m talking something a bit more sensible”
“There is no sensible explanation! Couldn't be me, couldn't be Lancaster, and you know damn well there's no one else in the deal! It had to be someone Lancaster is working with! This organization is that someone!”
“I don't think a secret organization that controls the world would work with a private business, i’m just saying”
“You have to believe me, please! I hired you for a reason, okay? I hire you because you have no reputation and are not well known, you’re perfect for this!”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
She has something to say about him essentially saying her business isn’t doing well but kept her mouth shut.
“Hrm…”
“I… I can show you proof! Here, look!”
He pointed at the board, at a newspaper from 1949.
“Soviet Nuclear physicist killed in a fatal car accident… uh?...”
“The first nuclear bomb was dropped on the last day of November of 1949 in Kokura, Japan! This guy died in December! Don't you think that's a bit strange? This guy was essentially the one who created the bomb!”
“So what?”
“Why do you think there's no nuclear weapons today? Wouldn't the military of any country want to have that kind of weapon?”
“Because of an international law that was passed by the UC in 1951 that prohibits use and creation of nuclear weapons?”
“Wrong! It’s because this organization saw its power and wanted to keep it for themselves! Every man and woman who knows how to make this weapon either died or disappeared starting from December 1949 to May of 1957, everyone! Every. Single. One!”
“*Sigh* sorry, but this is ridiculous, and it is going nowhere i’m afraid, excuse me”
“Wait, please! You have to believe me!”
“Sorry, mister Williams… but i cannot tolerate such nonsense, especially for such a matter as harrowing as murder”
“Wait!”
“What again?”
“The door’s… locked”
He picked up a remote, and she heard a faint beep behind her.
“Thanks”
“But before you go! If you're interested, I can show you proof… i mean *real* proof, one you can't deny!”
“And how would you do that?”
“Uhm… m-meet me! At the international museum on sector F! London street! Tomorrow morning!”
“*Sigh* sorry, but i’m not coming”
“But-”
She slammed the door shut on him, and walked away, she could hear a faint shout as she walked down the stairs.
“*You’ll believe me soon enough! I promise you!*”
—-~----
Daniel was eating some spicy instant noodles when Eunike slammed the door to the office open, eyes saggy with a cup of coffee in hand.
“Welcome back! Got anything?”
Daniel called out to her, she replied with a bitter tone.
“Less than nothing, just some conspiracy theory bullshit!”
“Oh damn”
She’s mad *mad*.
“Can you cancel the case, and blacklist while you’re at it?”
“What? Why?”
“Because we’re getting nowhere! The man is insane and out of his mind, man! He’s useless!”
“That's some mean words but alright, shame, he was paying us quite a bit”
“AH! Who cares?! I need some rest… I should call her…”
“Who? Your mom?”
“Daniel! My mom’s dead!... I mean… *that* her, you know?”
“Oh, ah… go ahead, though I gotta ask… what did he tell you?”
“some standard secret group theory everyone’s tired of, told me made up nonsense and told me to meet him on the museum tomorrow, i’m not coming”
“International museum eh?”
“Yes, how do you know?”
“It’s like the only museum around here that don't take a full day trip”
“Hmm… have fun Daniel, you can go to sleep early today, good night… *yawn*”
“Aye, good night to you too, say hi to her for me yeah?”
“Sure…”
She quickly packed up and walked out with her briefcase. It felt much heavier than it supposed to be, might have something to do with the fact that it’s full of papers. She doesn't need it, technically, technology exists. But she has always been like this, always so fearful and worried, so although she had all her records on her phone, she had them all printed twice and put into the briefcase.
“Come on… answer…”
A strange quirk, that's been called out by everyone she ever interacted with, her brother, her mother, Daniel, even… her. To be fair, it’s fine, she can understand what they’re coming from, besides… it doesn't matter, she has more important things to care about… such as…
“*gasp* Yes! Hiii!”
“*Oh my God Eunike!?*”
She held her phone tight and the volume high, she wanted to hear her voice so badly.
“Sorry i couldn't call you for the last few weeks… it’s been… rough”
“*It’s okay! It's been hard here too, I've got a lot of patients coming in lately and it was so stressful! But hey, I'm a nurse so it’s kinda bound to be like that right? How’s your work? Does being Sherry Holmes work?*”
“Oh there you are with the Sherlock Holmes jokes…”
“*hahaha! But am I wrong though?*”
“No, not really… well… there's a lot of bullshit, so recently i’ve got a case for murder…”
“*Murder? Ooh!... Tell me! Tell me!*”
“Uhm… okay, so it was about…”
Hours passed, Eunike wasn't even aware of it, she wasn't even aware that she arrived back home through seemingly pure muscle memory, she wasn't aware that she was sitting in front of the door of her apartment. Busy, talking away on the phone, to a voice and a person she missed deeply.
“*I gotta go! Call me again when you can, okay? Love you!*”
“Love-”
The call cuts, to a flat repeating tone that rings in her mind.
“You…”
Even when the call ends, after what she craves is met, it still feels… wrong, like she’s missing a key part of herself. It’s been hard living alone, with an unreliable job, it’s harder when someone you love is four countries away working as a full time nurse.
Hearing her voice was a blessing and a curse, to be so close together yet so far apart, to feel but not to touch. If there's one thing she hates about Anasea, it is how long and costly it would take to do a trip across the city. She wishes she could visit her, maybe rent an apartment together, maybe their own house even, but her financial condition won’t allow that, she can even barely pay rent anymore.
“God damn it…”
She didn't even deliver Daniel’s hi, bummer.
—-~----
“What do you think?”
Sevi asked Ruke, she just finished showing him another dance she can do. She is an expert at this, it turns out, she was a dancer even before she got to the club. She can do a lot of dances that apparently came from even other species, so much so Ruke can't recount the name of each dance. Except for two, Yano, the dance of her kind and… Tarana, the dance of his kind.
“That was difficult”
He didn't even know his kind made such a dance, or he forgot. It was much slower than all the others she had shown and as such easier for him, but it still feels so complex.
“But you did it! Congrats!”
“What’s so impressive about that?”
“Well… first off… it proves that you’re not just a big clumsy man!”
She laughed, her voice a song to his ear.
“Am I really that clumsy?”
“Maybe not to you, but for me? Even you’re walking you’re like a shabby wall”
“Downside being an Algor i guess…”
“I’d like to disagree on that”
“Oh yeah? Why?”
She smiled naughtily, and playfully scratched his chest, it ripped his clothes a bit.
“Because so far nothing about you is bad to me i would say~”
“Maybe… am I good?”
“No… you’re the best”
His heart sank for a moment. Suddenly she pulled on his arm.
“Why don't we go outside a bit? It’s kinda boring being at home all day”
“I… don't know about that, this place isn't the most friendly neighborhood…”
“I’ll be careful, besides you can fight can't you?”
“I can… but i don't want to”
“I know, but can we please be somewhere else?”
“Hmm…”
He tried to think of a nice place, such a thing is rare around Rezen. He can only remember one place, and he’s not sure, but perhaps it's worth a visit.
“...i know a place”
—-~----
Having been around Rezen for quite some time now Ruke has gotten knowledge of some interesting places. Most were… lethal, some were dangerous, few were safe, but as far as he knows, only one is beautiful. A place quite far from the city, a place that must be reached by going through the forest of silver lies.
“How do you know about it?”
“Rumors… i haven't actually seen it, so… first time for both of us”
“Even better then…”
Sevi smiled, even when obscured by darkness of Rezen’s eternal night and blurred by its eternal rain he can still see it clearly. Her sweet toothy smile, shining like pearls in an abyss. Sharp pearls, but that's why he likes it.
“Is your raincoat good?”
“It’s good, still can't understand why you’re wearing that”
She pokes his old miner suit.
“Let's just say… i’m a bit cheap”
“mhm… too cheap for raincoats are we?”
“It works…”
“But how am I supposed to hold your hand? It’s not the same!”
“Haha! That's…”
He looked at her, her face was dead serious.
“Oh, you want to actually…”
“Yes”
She stopped in her tracks, and tapped her foot on one of the roots of the silver trees, impatient.
“Oh well…”
He took off the gauntlet of his suit, he could feel the internal pressure escape through the small gap, and his nose was suddenly assaulted by the heavy smell of mud and rain.
“Much better!...”
She immediately got a hold of his hand, as usual, even though she has scales just like him, her hand was incredibly smooth to the touch.
“You know?... I never expected you to be so clingy”
“Clingy? I think lacking proper interaction for years is what you're looking for, my… “colleagues” back at the club were not the best”
“Oh… Sorry you have to bring that up”
“It’s fine, it doesn't matter anymore, what matters is now, and you”
“Thank you…”
“....okay, maybe i am a bit clingy, but nothing wrong with that right?”
“N-no… i… enjoy it”
She giggled.
“Ah… i don't doubt it”
They held hands during the whole walk, the sky darkened slowly as the silver lines of the forest glow brighter.
“That is… beautiful”
“A little…”
“A little? They're so pretty!”
“It’s kind of dangerous, i don't want to be here when lightning comes”
“Oh? Really? Hmm… dangerous beauty…”
“Dangerous… beauty?”
“Yes, don't you think? These silver lines… glowing in the dark… it’s enticing, mesmerizing, yet… so unpredictable”
“I would call that a trap”
“Maybe…”
She watched the lines go by, from certain angles they look like a curtain that covers up the pitch black darkness of the forest.
“...But it’s a beautiful trap”
“Uh… i think we’re here”
“Where? I don't- *gasp*”
In front of her lies… a lake, a lake so beautiful in appearance she can't muster a proper word of expression.
“The lake of dancing lights… apt name”
There was no moon to illuminate the lake, instead, the faint light coming from the silver trees were reflected off the surface. The lake was surrounded by trees, making the lights that were reflected to encircle the entire lake, and with the rain disrupting the surface, it made the light warp and bend, moving them around the surface.
“This is… oh…”
“Hmm?”
She just now realized what she missed of the real world, the world beyond the wall of the club, of her house, beyond everything made by hand. A world so cruel, unjust, unreasonable, yet so beautiful. She sat down on a tree root and Ruke followed suit.
“I want to look at this all day…”
“I wish I can too… i admit, it’s pretty”
“Is this why you take me here? Dancing lights? Because I'm a dancer?”
“Uh… maybe”
She smiled warmly, it was the most genuine smile he has ever gotten out of her.
“Is it dangerous?”
“No, not really, i just heard that it’s somehow endless, i can see why they think that, all this rain all the time and it’s not overflowing”
“Ruke… can you be honest with me? Please?”
“Yes?”
“Do you… want to do something stupid?”
“Uhm… arguable, why?”
“Because i want to do something stupid”
She let go of his hand and ran towards the lake, he tried to stop her but instead tripped on a root.
“W-wait!”
He watched as she threw her raincoat away, her clothes, and jumped in the lake. His heart stopped when she didn't immediately come back up, only for it to drop and almost give him a heart attack when she burst out of the surface laughing.
“Come on!”
“Sevi! You can't just… *Sigh*”
He’s got no other choice, and started to undress, the only thing covering his body now is darkness. He walked up to the edge of the lake, which was unexpectedly solid rock. It gave him a hint that the lake is actually a very deep pit. She swam to the edge, and smiled at him.
“Scared of water?”
“I’m scared for you! *Sigh* you’re unpredictable”
“And?...”
“And what?”
“Unpredictable and?...”
“What? Beautiful? Oh… ah…”
“Come down, be dangerous and stupid with me, how about that?”
“That's ridiculous!”
“I’ll give you a reward…”
“If so… Sure…”
He was planning to get in carefully, one leg at a time, when suddenly she pulled him in.
“AAH!!”
“You screamed! Hahaha!”
“You scared me!”
“Oh calm down you man baby! You can swim!”
“*Sigh* thankfully we both can, God…”
He looked below him, at the bottomless abyss.
“Scared?”
“No, just… in shock”
“if that surprises, this should as well”
“What-”
He was silenced by a kiss, they almost sank together since he was caught off guard and froze for a moment. She let go after a moment, and gave him that same smug toothy smile he loved.
“Huh… fair”
“That's your reward for being brave”
“Heh… Anything else?”
“Hmm… maybe, but only if you promise one thing”
“What?”
“Don't ever forget me, promise?”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because we never know what's next, isn't that true?”
“Yes, but-”
“Shh… just promise me”
“I… i swear, i swear with my life”
“Really?”
“Really”
“Then… hold your breath…”
He tried to not question it, and held it as deep as he could, until his chest hurts. He felt her tail wrap around his legs, preventing him from staying afloat.
“What are you doing?”
“...Loving you”
She kissed him and stayed still, letting the two slowly sink, Ruke can state more than enough reason why this would be incredibly stupid and dangerous. Yet it felt… proper, so he stayed still, letting the water take them deeper, way down, together, intertwined, as one. He opened his eyes underwater, expecting darkness, it was dark, but there was something else, her eyes, shining under the little light available, staring at his own.
Words need not be spoken, actions need not be taken, he needs only to see, see what he needs, what he loves, what he wants to protect. Their house is not their home, it is but a shelter, his home is here, close to him, and he will keep it that way, no matter what.
—-~----
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