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Theocratic-Monarchy: SunSide
22nd Day of Month 6, Year 1628 DG
Solitude and distraction are harbors from grief.
Kyoko finds both in the Bunker, after Zalona retires to the inn, Ovida to her base, the twins and Unisa to their cots, and Rafael to the tub.
The igni hovers over a map of the continent, tracking Unisa’s flight path. It’s a long way north. Eloa is a tiny village just beyond Ona’s River that Unisa will have to pinpoint. It’ll take longer than a day to get there and return with Saila—no more than two, if they’re lucky.
Very lucky.
Conflicting emotions tear her heart apart: joy for the memories she has, sorrow for those she never will. There was so much left to say.
How will she tell Ana?
The bedroom door creaks open and Naina enters the main chamber, rubbing her fist into her eye. She doesn’t notice Kyoko until she’s standing across from her at the table.
“Oh, sorry,” she mumbles. “Would you like to be alone?”
Yes.
“No, that’s alright.” She gestures to the seat next to her. “Can’t sleep?”
Naina shakes her head. “Too excited.”
Silence fills the air until Naina, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, asks, “Would you like...to talk about...your loss...or...”
“Please stop.”
Naina exhales with relief. “Oh, thank the Twins.” She eyes the map. “Planning the journey?”
Kyoko nods. “Among other things.”
Her finger traces the various locations where the MegaFather stations his Bravers. “Trying to assess the strength of their forces. We have tens of thousands of Bravers to face. They’ve been recruiting, the last few days.”
“We may not have time to wait for Saila to get back, then. The Castrum’ll be too fortified to storm if we delay and allow his warriors to roll in.”
Sinking pessimism arouses a dangerous thought in the back of Kyoko’s mind: the wolf may be right.
The trapdoor leading directly up to the streets rattles open. Naina perks up at the sound, but quickly deflates when Ovida walks in, long fabrics slung over her shoulder.
Seeing her change in expression, Ovida remarks, “Happy to see you, too.”
“Sorry. I was expecting Symin and the others. They’re taking longer to return than I thought.”
Ovida offers her a reassuring smile. “They can take care of themselves. Especially with Zakia there to protect them.”
“Brought the disguises?” Kyoko gestures to the fabrics.
The General lays them out on the table. “Patient gowns. My salver is waiting in her carriage up on the street.” She leans in, and her tone hardens. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Rafael and I are going to see her off. We’ll stay disguised and”—she pauses, struggling to articulate their hesitation to separate—“we’d like to stay together as long as possible.”
“Friendly faces never hurt,” echoes the angi’s voice from the bedroom door. Unisa enters the main chamber, flanked by Rafael and Salessa. The mari dries himself with a towel as they enter, his damp hair slicked back, dripping small droplets down his shoulders and chest.
The Librarians tie the gowns over their clothes and Unisa bids farewell to the twins.
“Take care,” Salessa says with a warm smile.
“Fly fast, Feathers,” Naina adds.
“Feathers?” Rafael raises an eyebrow.
Unisa takes a long pause, holding eye contact with Naina, then smiles and says, “It’s grown on me.”
An older vehicle from the pre-ore era, the carriage rolls smoothly against the polished surface of the ore roads. Unisa and Kyoko sit next to one another, with Rafael across.
“What if I went to the Library?” Unisa asks, breaking a long silence. “Instead of going to Eloa, what if I went back to the Prime and told him everything?”
“And start a war?” Kyoko responds. “Alba used her final moments to tell you to alert Saila. Not an army of Librarians, many of whom will end up dead.”
A soft smile trembles onto Unisa’s expression. “That’s not all she used her final moments to say, Kyoko. She asked me to remind you, Ana, and Hassan how much she loved you. All three of you were in her final thoughts.”
Her words agonize Kyoko. Turmoil bubbles in her chest, knowing she’ll never have the opportunity to return those thoughts.
I hope you know...I loved you, too.
The carriage reaches the southern gate and a discussion ensues between the Revolution salver and the Bravers on patrol. Kyoko clutches the hilt of the tanto tightly, ready if the rear doors swing open. After a few disconcerting moments, the carriage moves again and begins to head toward the forest.
As the wheels roll forth over dirt, Rafael tells Unisa more about the journey to EverEmber, including his interactions with the Doruh Headwoman, the Radiance, and Joaquina’s essence.
“I had to let her go.”
Unisa reaches forward and takes his hand lovingly. “I’m so proud of you, Rafa.”
The carriage comes to halt, and the lemon-skinned salver opens the rear door for the humans to exit. They embrace, Unisa and Kyoko under Rafael’s wide armspan.
“I don’t feel good about us separating again,” Rafael comments.
“I won’t be long,” Unisa promises. “A day and a half—two at most.”
“Map,” Kyoko says, handing her a long, rolled paper.
Unisa takes it from her, then turns toward the sky and stretches her wings. With two flaps, she’s in the air, and with a few more, she’s over the canopy of the forest and gone into the night sky.
Kyoko and Rafael watch her silhouette dwindle until she disappears into the starry specks amongst the clouds. The igni swallows hard as the sky absorbs the Revolution’s hope.
They step toward the carriage again, when a rustling amongst the trees startles them. Kyoko raises the tanto, Rafael his forearm fins, and the salver her glowing palms.
The louder the rustling gets, the faster Kyoko’s heart pounds. It thrashes in her throat as she sees a red foot step into the clearing. A Mega comes through the trees, followed by a bright pink one behind him.
“Kruga! Symin!” the salver says, relief evident in her tone. She smiles and the illumination of her palms settles.“Where are the others?”
Kyoko doesn’t know these Mega, but she recognizes in their expressions a common sorrow. That sorrow carries all five of them back to the Bunker. Gazes low, the ache in their swollen faces is unmistakable.
Kyoko and Rafael descend first, followed closely by Symin and Kruga. When they reach the bottom steps, they’re met by excited embraces from Zalona and the twins.
And then the excitement dies when they notice the newcomers’ expressions.
“What happened?” Naina asks. “Where is everyone?”
Silence.
Salessa approaches Symin and places her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to make eye contact. “Where is Zakia, Symin?”
Silence.
She demands harder. “Where. Is. Zakia?”
Symin reaches up and wraps his fingers around Salessa’s, pulling them off of his face and holding them in front of him. He speaks only in whispers.
“She wanted me to tell you she’s sorry, but she won’t be able to make it back for that cup of chai, after all.”
Salessa breaks down into tears as Naina wraps her arms around her. Zalona falls to her knees and Kruga comforts her in the same manner. Symin steps back until he hits a wall and can’t back up any farther, where he breaks down, as well.
The room is quiet except for the echoing of heaves and sobs. Their pain resonates with Kyoko. They’re not grieving the loss of what they had; they’re grieving the loss of everything they could have had.
Though shades of skin, exoskeletons, and shifting abilities differentiate them, one thought is apparent to Kyoko in this moment: grief unites all.