Echthra wanders the halls of the Red Machine, her hands interlaced behind her back. Her fiery white hair flows down her back and her intricate, silver-thorned crown rests delicately on her head. She has recently returned from a human-inhabited planet called Llillon. Now, the Red Machine is alive with activity. Humans that have survived her invasion—all completely naked except for a collar around their necks—are drenched in blood and feces as they operate the mechanisms within the factory. She smiles, hearing her victims' screams and sobs, but she doesn't plan to stay and watch. She is here to oversee progress on the Web; a massive entity made of human flesh and organs stitched together. Millions of bodies have been harvested over the years of her reign. Anything not eaten or used ends up here.
Indeed, the Web is not merely an object, but a living creature that gorges on magic and blood.
As Echthra descends into the depths of the Red Machine, the overwhelming sound of an infinite heartbeat echoes in her mind. She stops, sensing a presence behind her.
"Sholi," she says, not turning around.
"Y-Yes, Lady Echthra?"
"Are you aware that Grinnox has perished?"
"I… N-No, I did not know that."
"Someone has killed him."
"Who?"
"I cannot say for certain. I want you to find his killer and bring them to me."
"Yes, My Lady."
As Sholi leaves, Echthra turns her attention back to the massive creature. As she runs her fingers along a piece of soft, freckled skin—she remembers this flesh to be that of a beautiful young woman named Summer Hartman—the Web lets out an unholy moan from its many deformed throats.
HELP… US…
Echthra can't help but grin.
***
Alone in her room that night, Juno sleeps dreamlessly. Her terrifying encounter with Grinnox lingers in the back of her mind. Unbeknownst to her, however, something much worse is coming.
Once dawn breaks, Adam heads to Juno's room to give her a new assignment. According to their government sponsors, the Illixi have recently taken over Helnorix, a human-inhabited planet in the flame of the Candle Nebula. He has no idea how extensive their operations there are, but he plans to send Juno in disguise to investigate.
He hesitates, then knocks on the door.
"Juno? Are you awake?"
"I am. Please, come in," she says. Adam turns the doorknob and enters the room.
"Hey."
"Hello. How can I help you?"
"I have some news for you."
"Which is?"
"The Illixi captured the planet Helnorix. You know where that is?"
"I believe I've heard the name before."
"All right. We want you to check on the status of the planet. I'm sure you already know this, but the Illixi often extract all of a planet's resources once they invade. You're going to need to use your shapeshifting powers to disguise yourself."
"Understood."
"I can't say I know how long the planet has been under their control, nor do I know who organized the invasion. I want you to find out this information and more. Gather as much as you can about the Illixi's activities."
"Would you like me to liberate the planet?"
"W-Well, um, I'm not sure if that would be possible by yourself. And I mean, you're only just now unlocking your powers."
"You'd be surprised what I can do."
"Oh, um, r-right. I suppose I shouldn't question your capabilities."
"I've been honing my magic over these past several weeks. Shall I demonstrate?"
"Sure. If you want."
"As you wish." Adam steps back as Juno closes her eyes. Her heart glows in her chest. Light floods her veins as sparks spill from her fingertips and onto the floor. Suddenly, lightning sprays out in every direction, narrowly avoiding Adam's face. He jumps out of his skin.
"Jesus Christ!"
"Oh. Sorry. I haven't quite been able to control how my magic works."
"I-It's okay. I uh, just wasn't expecting… that." He rubs the back of his neck. She almost killed him! If that's only a piece of her magical bloodline… who knows what else she can do?
"So, when do I leave?"
"As soon as you can."
"All right. Give me a couple of minutes."
"See you soon."
With those words, Adam leaves Juno to her own devices. She starts going through her morning routine. She will mimic Grinnox for this particular mission, so her clothing choice doesn't matter. When she's dressed and ready for the day, she heads out to the hangar where her ship and the Illixi vessel she stole from Grinnox lie. Adam and Violet are there waiting for her. Juno approaches them, her skin changing to a pale blue. Her hair fades to white and her eyes darken. Adam takes a cautious step back.
"How do I look?" Juno asks. Neither Adam nor Violet answers for a moment.
"G-Great, Juno," Adam says.
"I'll be gone for a while. I'll keep in contact every day. If something should happen to me, do not come and try to save me. As I've said before, the Illixi are highly volatile and will not hesitate to kill you on sight."
"A-Are you sure you're… going to be okay?" Violet asks.
"I should be fine. Grinnox's wrist device has all the intel on his life and activities. My shapeshifting abilities allow me to become indistinguishable from a real Illixi. If needed, I can change into something else to escape or hide."
"Very well," Adam says. He hesitates before speaking again. "…Juno?"
"Yes, Dr. Graves?"
"We… have no idea what's out there. Be careful, and come home safely," Adam says. He and Violet each pull Juno into a hug, much to her surprise. When they let her go, Juno nods to them decisively.
"I will."
With that, she boards the Illixi vessel and flies off into the unknown.
***
After she leaves the atmosphere of Xindyria, Juno sets the ship's controls to autopilot. She's become a bit more accustomed to the Illixi vessel over time. Now, all she has to do is relearn how to interact with the Illixi race as one of their own. She tightens the strap of her wrist device and shakes her arm lightly. It does not budge. Excellent.
She gazes out the glass at the endless number of stars glimmering against the cold blackness of open space. She reflects on her conversation with Wrivin. Who is she? What is she? Why did she reach out to Juno? So many questions, and not enough answers. Soon, however, she will learn the truth.
Since the Candle Nebula is quite far from Xindyria, Juno chooses to rest in the sleeping pod nestled within the ship's interior. She wraps herself up in all of the pod's blankets and quickly falls asleep under their warmth.
Her dreams are only of Castor…
***
Mirror sits on a bench in the garden wearing her pale pink sundress and a hat. Light from the sun shines down on her. Castor approaches, dressed in a light blue shirt and khakis. He has a picnic basket in his right hand and a blanket under his arm. He smiles at her, then lays out the blanket in the middle of the garden. They sit on the blanket and start unwrapping all the food inside the basket. Castor cooked it all. A cool Summer breeze rustles through the leaves in the trees and plays with Mirror's hair. They eat and chat. Mirror laughs at something Castor said. She smiles blissfully. Just as they are getting to dessert, the sky starts to darken. A storm? She looks up for a moment as a light rain begins to fall. Mirror and Castor quickly finish their desserts. Soon, rain pours from the heavens. A strong wind blows through and Mirror grabs hold of her hat. By now, they are soaked. Castor grabs Mirror's hand, then runs with her underneath a nearby store awning. As they watch the rain fall, they continue holding hands. Mirror turns to say something to Castor but notices a small bloody split in the skin under his left eye.
"Castor?" she asks. "What happened to your face?"
"What do you mean, Mirror?"
"Here, let me." She reaches for his face with her hand to clear away the blood, but the split grows longer. She tilts her head to one side, then grabs a cloth napkin from the basket and dabs at the injury. Still, it grows longer. She rubs her cloth against it vigorously. Worse still. Once it reaches the rest of his face, his eyes melt into a bloody pulp. Mirror frantically tries to clean the mess, but soon the wound spreads across his face and down his chest. She lifts up his shirt and grabs the picnic blanket from under his arm. A long jagged split in his skin spreads down the center of him, oozing blood and pus. Soon, splits begin to form all over his body until his skin melts off.
"What's wrong, Mirror?"
He smiles. Mirror screams.
***
Juno shoots awake, her heart pounding hard inside her ribcage. Where is she? How much time has passed? With trembling hands, she grabs her phone and calls Castor. The phone rings several times before he finally picks up
"Hello?"
"C-Castor, are you… are you okay?"
"Oh! Hey, Mirror! Yeah, I'm fine. Why? Everything okay?"
"I… I had a nightmare."
"Oh. I'm sorry, Mirror. Wanna talk about it?"
"You were in it. At first, the dream was lovely. We were having a picnic in the garden."
"Yeah? What happened after that?"
"A storm rolled in, and… and you had this cut on your face."
"Mirror, it's okay. It's a small scar. I'm all right."
"N-No, I… I tried to clean the wound, but… but it kept getting bigger, a-and… and your skin became all bloody and covered in pus, and… y-your eyes melted."
"Holy—"
"Y-Your whole body started falling apart, and I…"
"H-Hey, it's okay, Mirror! I'm fine; it was only a dream. Would it help if I video-called you?"
"Y… Yes, please."
"All right. One moment."
After Castor hangs up, he calls Juno back. His eyes widen in sheer terror.
"Mirror?!" He drops his phone to the floor.
"Castor, it's okay! I've shapeshifted."
"Oh, thank God." He breathes a sigh of relief picking up his phone. He smiles at her.
"Castor, I… th-thank you."
"Of course. It's no trouble at all. Where are you anyways?"
"I'm on another mission."
"Really? Where to?"
"Helnorix."
"I can't say I'm familiar. Why are they sending you there?"
"An Illixi invasion. I need to… gather information about what's going on there."
"Oh. I… I see."
"I'm… going to be gone for a while."
"How long?"
"Not sure yet. As you can see, I've taken a new form so they won't suspect my alignment with the Crierce. I don't know what would happen if they were to learn that their former allies were attempting to end their crimes."
"Right. Mirror, please, stay safe out there, okay? I… I don't know what I'd do if…"
"I'll text every day. If something happens, though, don't come looking for me. You'll only be killed if you do."
"Good luck, Mirror."
With that, the two finish their call. Juno returns to the navigation controls to figure out just where exactly she is. Luckily for her, Illixi ships are fast. They can travel hundreds of light years in only a few days. She's only been asleep for a couple of hours, but she's made a bit of progress. She decides to make herself a cup of tea using the ship's supply of food and drink. Judging from how much has remained here after Grinnox's death, he had planned to stay on Xindyria for quite some time. How long exactly, she isn't sure, but she plans to use as many of the ship's resources as she can.
As Juno quietly sips her tea, the stars sparkle against the shadow of space. She breathes a sigh of relief, snapping photos of her surroundings. Her phone has a powerful camera that can capture the most minute details. She sends the pictures to Castor, Adam, and Violet. Adam in turn sends her a picture of the Candle Nebula. Her eyes pore over the bright red flame and the silvery handle. Violet sends her a happy face emoji and a couple of photos of scenery from Helnorix, including one from the atmosphere. Castor sends a red heart emoji and a picture of Saturn's hexagonal storm.
Juno smiles seeing the messages, and yet… why do Castor, Violet, and Adam seem to care so much about her? She's never had friends before because of her status as a deity. Most of her own people express a slight nervousness around her as though trying not to provoke her wrath. And, to further prove her point, Dr. Graves shares their suspicions. Why would he help her if he's scared of who she is? She thinks she knows why Castor has treated her so sweetly. Violet seems to be quite an open-minded person too. She reflects on her time in the city with Dr. Graves. He opened up to her about his past, so maybe his fear had been quelled. She wants to prove that she's not what everyone else thinks she is. If Castor can accept her, then hopefully all of humanity can too.
All I want… is to be loved; is that too much to ask?
***
Around a week later, Juno arrives just outside of Helnorix. A thick layer of clouds hides most of the land on the planet. The Red Machine is nowhere to be seen. However, three smaller space factories hover in the atmosphere, lights aglow with energy. She draws in closer, scanning her surroundings. Her ship provides her with the layout of each factory. She sees where all of the machinery, furnaces, and other equipment are stationed. No life signs, though. Hopefully, that's due to the scan and not…
No. Stop it. Humans have to still be alive.
Juno draws in closer, silently. Suddenly, a loud repeated beeping indicates she's being hailed. Lightly tapping the console with her fingers, a crystal clear image of an Illixi woman appears in front of her, chest up. Her pale blue skin is coated in tiny white spots, and her white hair is done up in a sophisticated braid crown, with light strands framing her face. Unlike Grinnox, this woman wears clothing; a long-sleeve black dress with a hole cut out in the chest. Juno understands her to be Sholi, his closest friend.
"Ah, Grinnox. You've returned early. I must admit, I'm surprised to see you."
"Complications arose that prevented me from completing my research."
"I see. Welcome, my friend. I'm excited for you to see what we've done here. Helnorix is such a lovely planet."
"So I've heard."
"Come search for me at Mudstone Beach."
"Understood. See you soon, Sholi."
After the conversation ends, Juno presses onward toward the surface of the planet. Violent rain pours onto the ship, obscuring her view as she descends below the clouds. Setting her controls to autopilot, she glances down at the scenery below. A vast ocean of deep blue water ripples beneath the raindrops. Sholi stands on the beach, watching her approach. When Juno finally lands, she steps out as Grinnox and walks across the pale sand to Sholi. Her ears twitch. She greets him with a light hug when they meet at last.
"Hello, Sholi. It's good to see you again," Juno says.
"You as well. Shall we catch up on what's happened in your absence?"
"Yes, let's walk and talk."
As Juno spins a brief tale about her activities on Xindyria as Grinnox, Sholi catches her up to speed on her efforts on Helnorix. Much has occurred in the short time Grinnox has been gone.
"As you can see, all three factories have been dissecting the planet. While they hover above the atmosphere shredding humans, our injectors and revokers have been hard at work consuming every single resource on the planet, from metal and gemstones to flora and fauna.
"I can understand the revokers, but why the injectors?"
"Oh, I am glad you asked! Echthra transforms the planets she controls into incubators for The Web."
"And these creatures feed on the remaining resources of the planet?"
"Yes. Once they are ready, we extract the embryonic creatures, add them to our vats, and finish by injecting a potent bioweapon into the planet to sterilize it."
"Sounds intensive. What does she do with the barren worlds?"
"We inhabit them. Our bioweapon eliminates all the nonhuman life on the planet so we can raise our own instead. And don't worry! We're resistant to this bioweapon. Now, I'm sure you're anxious to hear about what progress we've made on exterminating humanity."
"I am. How have the machines held up?"
"Oh, wonderfully! I'll show you around later if you wish. Come to remember it, we have a fresh shipment coming in very soon."
"Ah, excellent. I should very much enjoy watching them die." Juno smiles wickedly, but her eyes express disgust and rage. Luckily, Sholi doesn't notice this. Soon, a big cage containing dozens of humans stripped of their clothing arrives. Juno wanders over. Men, women, and children of all ages and body types squirm inside their cramped confines. Just as she is about to touch the bars, Sholi stops her.
"Careful, Grinnox. Wouldn't want you to electrocute yourself."
It is then that Juno notices the blue sparks spraying off the thick metal bars. She peers through them to gaze upon the bodies inside the cage. One of them, a young woman with messy dark red hair, brown eyes, and freckles stares directly into Juno's eyes. She looks like she wants to say something, but she's simply too terrified. No. Juno cannot break her cover.
"How interesting…" Juno says after a moment.
"What is?"
"We all look so similar, but humans… they're so… unique."
"Absolutely! Yes, they're horrible monsters, but fascinating creatures all the same."
"Indeed."
"Now then, shall we go over your findings?"
"Yes, let's."
Once the pair return to the main factory of the three, Juno decides to discretely gather more information. They walk down the hallways, a cacophony of screeching metal, screams, and sobs echoing in Juno's ears. God, it's unbearable. The sights and smells are somehow even worse. Juno fights the urge to puke.
"So, tell me more about Xindyria. I have to make a report."
"Xindyria is a terrestrial planet in the Core solar system with one moon called Obbillon. Much like Earth, its days last around 24 hours, and its years last around 365 days. Xindyria is made of five continents which make up about 78% of its landmass with oceans consisting of the other 22%. The planet's flora consists of trees, fungi, shrubs, and very rarely flowers. Fauna is similar to Earth but without some of its predatory animals. Of all the planets I have visited over these past many years, Xindyria is the richest in resources, both living and not."
"And what of the humans?"
"Humans on the planet have not only survived but thrived. I have interacted with several humans in my short time there and they are all quite healthy. They have made several impressive technological, medicinal, and architectural advancements. Hundreds of major cities span the surface."
"Marvelous."
"Have you been maintaining the machinery here all by yourself?"
"Oh, no. A select few humans do that for me."
"How have you chosen humans here on Helnorix for that purpose?"
"I've been given guidelines on what makes a human useful."
"May I see it?"
"Of course. Here," Sholi says. She lifts her arm and presses some buttons on the device on her wrist. Soon, a holographic screen pops up with information on it written in the Illixi language. Juno can make out most of what the document says:
HUMAN EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
UPON ARRIVAL AT [PLANET NAME], ELIMINATE OUTERWORLD SECURITY. INSTALL ACCESS POINTS ACROSS THE SURFACE IN ALL CITIES. SEND DRONES TO SCAN THE PRESENCE OF LIFE FORMS. AFTER ALL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED, BEGIN CAPTURE OF HUMANS. IF NECESSARY, ENGAGE IN MAGICAL TORTURE TO EARN COMPLIANCE. LOCK UP HUMANS FOR REMOVAL FROM [PLANET NAME] AND RELOCATION TO THE FACTORIES. CLASSIFY HUMANS AND ADMINISTER ID CHIPS. ONCE ALL HUMAN LIFE LEAVES [PLANET NAME], SEND INJECTORS AND REVOKERS TO EXTERMINATE ANY REMAINING LIFE AND EXTRACT PLANETARY RESOURCES. END PROCESS BY INJECTING SURFACE WITH EMBRYONIC ENTITIES.
CLASSIFICATIONS
V: CONSUMPTION GRADE HUMAN
W: DEATH BY MACHINE GRADE HUMAN
X: RECREATIONAL GRADE HUMAN
Y: SURVIVOR GRADE HUMAN
Z: WEB GRADE HUMAN
- ECHTHRA
After reading through the whole document, Juno feels sick. How could anyone speak with such professionalism while discussing human sacrifice procedures? She understood the classifications for humans now, but… she still doesn't have an answer as to why one human should live and another should die. Juno's not sure she wants to stick around and find out.
"Echthra sanctioned your mission herself?" she asks after a long pause.
"She did, yes. I feel so honored!"
"I can imagine."
"You haven't met her in person yet, have you?"
"No. What's she like?"
"Her magic is insanely strong. Should she unleash her full power…"
"She would kill millions."
"Yes. She's an inspiration."
"She can certainly command respect."
Juno and Sholi continue walking down the hallways until they reach the main room. Compared to the majesty of the Red Machine, this room is small, but dangerous all the same. All around them are naked humans drenched in blood. Sholi carefully steps over the entrails, her heels clicking against the cold floor. Her mind dizzy, Juno stops walking, only to accidentally be sprayed in blood and gore from a nearby dissecting machine. She collapses and promptly vomits onto the floor, adding to the overwhelming smell of death.
Sholi stops in her tracks, then spins around to face Juno, who silently wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, leaving a bloodstain in its place.
"...You lied," she says. Her eyes express a simmering hatred. Suddenly, Juno realizes she's been made.
"What?"
"Who are you? What did you do to him?" Sholi asks. Juno breathes heavily, then shifts into her human form. She allows her cold rage to bleed through her tone of voice.
"I killed him, Sholi. He threatened Xindyria and promised that your princess would butcher every human living there. Echthra is a genocidal psychopath and I am going to murder her myself!"
"Don't you dare speak ill of Lady Echthra! Now tell me! Who are you?"
"My name is Juno. I am going to put an end to your crimes."
"A mere human? Ahahahaha! I don't know where you obtained shapeshifting powers, but your makeshift magic is nothing compared to Lady Echthra's strength. COME AT ME!" she suddenly yells. Holding green flames in her hands, she lunges at Juno, who, taken completely by surprise, is struck in the center of her chest. She collapses again, this time her chest burning as a mysterious sigil appears.
What did she do to me?!
Her vision blurs, and she loses consciousness…
***
An undetermined amount of time later, Juno awakens to find herself levitating in a dark room, the only light stemming from thousands of large magical needles floating in a halo around her body. She tries to move, but her blood has become lead.
Am I… paralyzed?
She is met with complete silence. Suddenly…
"Welcome, Juno," Sholi's ethereal, distorted voice calls out. Juno hears her heels click against the floor until she arrives in Juno's view.
"Ugh… what…? Where am I?" Juno asks, looking around blearily.
"Our interrogation room."
"Huh?"
"We use this room for our more… insightful humans."
"Insightful?"
"We don't merely extract bodies, Juno. We extract secrets too."
"Why?"
"Why wouldn't we? We can learn their behaviors, their activities— everything. I had hoped not to do this to you, but you leave me no other option."
"You won't learn anything from me."
"You're human, Juno. All humans break."
"...How did you know I wasn't Grinnox?"
"Simple. Echthra told me that Grinnox had died before I came to this planet."
"What else did she tell you?"
"She commanded me to find his killer. And here you are. I must admit, your magical shapeshifting is… an unexpected discovery, but that matters not. You'll die by her hand, or mine. I don't care which, but I'd prefer it to be me. I do so enjoy killing."
"You can try. Answer me this; why are you so interested in destroying humanity? We pose no immediate threat to you."
"Your keyword; immediate. Look at the bigger picture, Juno. Humanity is going to bring about the extinction of the universe and all of its inhabitants."
"That's impossible."
"You buy into the notion that humans are inherently good? What a fool you are! If only you knew."
"What? Go on, tell me!"
"Juno, do you know what's happened on Earth?"
"I've only known the good things that humans have done. We are peaceful creatures with compassion towards others."
"LIES! You humans have committed genocide multiple times over! If you were from Earth, you would know that, but you're not, are you?"
"No."
"Allow me to enlighten you, Juno. Humanity is a scourge that will stop at nothing to consume all and destroy all. You're an incurable disease, and your thirst for blood remains unquenchable. Our mission, Echthra's mission, is to exterminate humanity before your sins corrupt the rest of the galaxy."
"What are you going to do to me?" Juno asks. Suddenly, she understands. The Illixi don't just hate humans.
They're afraid of them.
"I'll let you live a moment longer. I want to revel in your agony."
Sholi raises her hand, and the needles surrounding Juno close in on her bare skin. She shuts her eyes and awaits the impact. A sharp, white-hot pain spreads across her entire body as the needles pierce through her clothes and into her flesh. She gasps for breath. As the needles press deeper, a strange liquid floods her blood.
Could this be… a bioweapon?
Soon, the pain reaches a boiling point and blood trickles down the needles. Spider veins rip through her skin.
Juno screams. Sholi laughs.
***
Sholi continues inflicting her torture on Juno for who knows how long. After she tires of playing with the needles, she sets up a machine around Juno using her magic. Juno remembers this device to be a dissecter. If she didn't act quickly, she would lose more than just her skin.
"Wh-What is this?"
"I believe you recognize this equipment. I suggest you share everything you know with me if you want to live." Suddenly, Juno laughs.
"You… You are afraid…"
"...what?"
"We scare you, and… that's why you want us dead."
"Oh, Juno, it's so much more than fear."
"Y-You… You lie. You hate us because you're terrified. I'm going to kill Echthra, and you can't stop me."
"Shut up!" Sholi says, slicing Juno's throat with a small, intricate blade with a red jewel embedded in the hilt. Blood seeps from the open wound. If Juno doesn't find a way to heal herself…
"You… will not win."
"Hmph. All right, Juno. Since you won't talk, I'll have to kill you. I wish I could say I'm sorry, but my hands shall enjoy ending you here and now. Goodbye, Juno."
Just as the machine is about to rip out her intestines, however, Juno harnesses her energy and sprays violent solar flares in every direction. Sholi casts a shield to protect herself, then screams out.
"FIND HER!"
Juno has vanished.
Using the energy of the stars to make her blood flow again, she sprints back to the terminal and transports herself back to the ship. Sholi, still blinded by the light of Juno's attack, forces the surviving humans to hunt her down.
They watch her leave, any hope fizzling out in their eyes.
Upon reaching the surface, she scrambles into the Illixi vessel, and, holding her neck, she sets her ship to autopilot and speeds out of the atmosphere as fast as she can go. She's managed to escape, but not unscathed.
***
Once she's sure she's safe, Juno strips out of her clothes and looks at her body. Thousands of tiny pockmarks cover her entire body and spider veins spread out from each of them. She patches up her throat quickly, then takes out her phone, checking her notifications.
How long have I been out?
She finds that she has messages from Dr. Graves, Ms. Hallows, and of course, Castor.
Good morning, Juno. How's the trip so far? - Adam
Hi, Juno! I went out shopping today and found something I think you'd like! - Violet
Hey, Mirror. How are you? - Castor
Hello, Juno. Have you eaten yet? - Adam
Hey again, Juno! I read this really neat psychology article last night! - Violet
Hi, Mirror! I found a lovely little poem that made me think of you. ❤️ - Castor
Juno, is everything all right? I haven't heard from you lately. - Adam
You okay, Juno? It's been a while. - Violet
Mirror? Are you safe? - Castor
Scrolling through these messages and more, Juno learns that she's now been gone…
A month? No, that's impossible. Why would I…? How could I not remember?
She decides to call Castor. He picks up immediately.
"Mirror?! Are you okay?!"
"H-Hey, Castor."
"Oh, Mirror, thank God you're alive! I thought you were dead!"
"I'm sorry. Sholi kidnapped me and I've… I've lost memories."
"Who's Sholi? And missing memories? What do you mean? Please, Mirror, tell me everything!"
"Hey, it's okay. I'll explain. Everything was fine on the trip there. I had no problems. When I arrived at Helnorix, three space factories were in orbit. Sholi, Grinnox's best friend, contacted me and invited me down to the surface. I didn't realize it at the time, but she already knew Grinnox was dead. She played along, though, and told me everything that she'd done here on the planet. After that, she took me to one of the factories and asked me questions about my time on Xindyria. I lied to her about what I'd done there but told her details about the planet. She then betrayed me and captured me. I must've been out for a long time. She ended up torturing me severely. I escaped from Helnorix, but… I couldn't do anything to save the humans living there. Sholi and the factories have already butchered so many of them."
"Oh, God, Mirror. Are you on your way home now?"
"Yes. Castor, um… we should talk."
"Absolutely. Please, as soon as you get back, come to my place. I want to see what she did to you."
"Are you sure? It's… quite bad."
"I'm sure. I want to help you, okay?"
"All right. I have to meet with Dr. Graves and Ms. Hallows first."
"Okay. Well, please, just be careful. God, I… I don't know what I'd do if…" He can't finish the thought.
"I will. I promise you." Before she hangs up, Castor stops her.
"Wait, Mirror."
"Yes?"
"Can we… stay on the phone for a while?"
"Of course."
Castor and Mirror continue talking for several hours as Juno dresses her wounds. Her star-fueled blood has worn off, and now she can't move too well again. She decides to transform into her Crierce shape. Her true form should expel the bioweapon easily. Her body is immune to nearly every kind of toxin. As the infection drains out of her body, she types up a message to send to her caretakers. What would she even say? How do you even talk to someone again after a whole month has gone by? She's not well-versed in texting etiquette if that's even a thing.
Once she finally types out the message she wants, she sends it to both of them, and then goes to sleep for a couple of hours…
***
Around a week later, Juno finally returns to Xindyria. Her body released quite a bit of the poison in her system, but much more still remains. Using her shapeshifting power to create a new skin overtop the damaged one, she lands her ship near the lab and collapses onto Scarona Beach. Adam and Violet spot her fair skin against the inky sand.
"JUNO!" Adam cries, his voice choked with worry.
Together, the pair rush over to her, shaking. Juno's blood still weighs her body down.
"What happened to you out there?" Violet asks, tears streaming down her face. She and Adam help Juno up onto her knees.
"It's… a long story," Juno says. She gives them both a weak smile which fades soon after. She wants to tell them, but she has no idea how they'd react. Adam pulls her into a wordless hug, his mind racing:
What if you had gotten her killed? God, you'd never forgive yourself. Juno's your daughter for Christ's sake! You're just treating her like another experiment! How dare you? You're no different from—
"Dr. Graves?" Juno asks, breaking his train of thought.
"What's wrong?" His voice softens as he pulls away from the hug and looks into her shiny purple eyes.
"I… want to thank you both," she says. Adam and Violet glance at each other, then look back at Juno.
"...What?" Adam asks.
"I could never understand why you cared so much for me, but now… I realize. All humans are compassionate at their core, even when dealing with supernatural entities such as myself. You treat animals well, you tend your gardens, and you give candy to children. Each of these things and more show me how much you care about life."
"Wow… that's so… beautiful," Violet says, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Juno, I… I'm really glad you're home in one piece. I-I'm sorry. I never should have sent you there alone. Forgive me." Adam says.
"I'd rather myself have gone than either of you. No need to ask me for forgiveness."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. All I want now… is to sleep."
"Of course. Here, I'll take you to your room." Adam picks up Juno bridal style and carries her back to the lab, completely unaware of her worsening injuries.
The infection is spreading…
***
After Adam and Violet return to the lab, they cook dinner for the three of them, then clean up the lab and go to sleep. Clearly, all three of them are exhausted for different reasons. When Juno is sure the scientists are asleep, she sneaks out of bed and transforms into a falcon, then flies to Castor's apartment. The moon has risen high into the sky by now.
She arrives within an hour and removes any holds she has on her human form. She knocks.
"Coming!" Castor's voice calls. He opens the door, dressed in his pajamas. Mirror notices his reading lamp is on.
"H-Hey."
"Oh, Mirror!" Castor cries, wrapping her in a warm hug. Mirror returns his gesture.
"Sorry I took so long to get back to you."
"Hey, it's okay. Not your fault. Please, come in."
Mirror enters the room and sits on Castor's couch, then tells him the whole story in more detail: her journey there, everything Sholi told her about Helnorix, what she saw inside the machine, Sholi's duel, the torture, and her escape. Castor's eyes well with tears as she speaks.
"And that's what happened. Like I said, though, I… I'm missing memories."
"I'm so sorry, Mirror. I can't imagine what that must've felt like."
"I still have open wounds."
"I'm afraid to ask, but… may I see?"
"Yes." She slowly takes off her shirt.
"W-Wait, Mirror!" Castor says, blushing bright red while shaking his open palms back and forth. Mirror tilts her head to one side.
"What's wrong?"
"I-I um… we shouldn't… do this h-here…"
"Castor?"
"Y… Yes, Mirror?"
"It's okay. I trust you."
"Are you sure? I don't want to…"
"I'm sure. You're a good man, Castor."
"O-Okay…"
Mirror removes her shirt and stands before him in jeans and her lacy black bra. Castor covers his eyes until Mirror tells him he can look. Upon seeing the thousands of tiny welts in her skin, as well as the burnt sigil on her sternum, he nearly breaks down.
"Oh my God! Mirror, I… What did she do to you?!"
"She infected me with some kind of bioweapon. And burned a sigil in my chest with her magic. No need to worry; I can recover my original state if I revert back to a Crierce body," Mirror says.
Castor says nothing. He grabs hold of her and hugs her, her skin absorbing the heat from his body. After a couple of minutes of standing this way, Castor speaks.
"I love you, Mirror."
Mirror's eyes widen and she breaks away a bit to look directly into his shiny green eyes.
"...what?"
Before she can do anything else, Castor holds her face in his hands and kisses her passionately, his lips soft against hers. The light of his reading lamp illuminates the two of them as their shadows intertwine against the wall. Mirror melts into his touch and kisses him back.
I understand now. You love me, and I love you.