"We did well today, Sylvi!" Astra announced as the crowd departed with filled stomachs, the two girls sitting down next to each other with the boiling pot of ramen near them. "Thanks to your help, I may have won them all over yet!"
Sylvi's eyes snapped open at her words, the realization dawning on her. "Oh no! I helped the enemy!" She gasped, her hands opened in disbelief, soon to be holding a bowl of freshly made ramen.
"What was I thinking about again…" She murmured between bites, the noodles slipping past her lips with practiced ease. She was completely distracted by the taste.
"Good girl," Astra smiled, patting her head as she ate.
Celi returned from the forest, resting at Astra's side to feel her hand carding through her fur. "And where've you been since yesterday?"
Celi raised her head, looking up at Astra as she spoke, "I've been scanning the area, way past where even the Aelvarians reach,"
"That only took you a day?" Astra questioned her words filled with more surprise than disbelief, Celi nodded, her snout pointed in the direction she returned from.
"Many predators lie beyond the safety of the village, most of them residing in a dense forest untouched by light." She explained, her words peaking the curiosity of the young technician, her hands continuing to card over the wolf's fur.
"Everything I saw is now in the world scan for you to look through," Celi rests her head on her paws once more, napping out in the sun.
Astra smiled to herself, her hands lightly lifted from the wolf's head, "If we manage to survive this, we do need to explore sooner or later…"
Her hands cupped each other as she thought about it, her grip tightening as dread shivered down her spine. "Will he…be ok?"
Sylvi stopped eating, her eyes looking up at Astra at her words, noting the concerned look laced on her features, her brows furrowed and lips pursed.
"Astra…" She called out to her softly, watching as the young technician snapped out of it, standing up abruptly.
"What am I thinking, I should be more worried about what I'll do if he fails!" She panicked, her hands reaching to cup at her head. "I have nowhere to go!"
'Figures…' Sylvi thought, witnessing her sudden change in attitude, her face a mixture of disappointment and amusement.
"You ready?" The gruff voice of his father entered his son's hut back in the forest, the boy was surrounded by stones, his eyes scanning every one with practiced diligence. His finger to his chin as he remained deep in thought. "The ceremony tomorrow,"
Belk couldn't help but smirk, both excitement and adrenaline rushing through every fiber of his being. "Yeah, and I couldn't be more excited!"
Tanaka looked taken aback by his eagerness, his mouth slightly agape in shock, but soon splitting into a soft smile. He walked up to the young scientist, his calloused hands ruffling his hair with somber affection.
Belk's eyes widened, tearing up immediately before wiping away the evidence, but the truth lingered within his voice. "H-hey! What's with this all of a sudden!"
"Nothing," Tanaka smiled despite his son's confused eyes.
"You know what I want Tanaka?" The sound of his late wife's voice echoed within his mind, painting a picture of the past. That hill side they always visit to see the stars. Her voice always carried a sense of joy when she painted a picture of it with her voice, a melody he could hear on repeat.
"I want, for this village to go past their norms, to leave tradition behind and see the stars someday," She turned to the young Tanaka, his eyes widened by her ambitious dream, though he could tell she wasn't joking, for the sparks in her eyes way back when, were real. "And when our son decides to rule this nation of ours,"
She grinned, letting her words hang for just a moment longer as her hands sneaked into his, squeezing tightly as if asking for a promise. "We'd have learned more about our world, no longer staying to one side, and exploring the universe!"
Tanaka's hands tightened around her a soft smile spreading across his lips as they shared that moment together.
"I promise," He said softly, his eyes sombering into gentle tears. "We'll see it someday."
"Right…" Aurelia nodded, her gaze trusting as she rested her forehead on his, "Let's be the last to suffer…this cruel world's judgement."
'But we don't change so easily…do we—' Tanaka's smile faltered a bit, his body frozen, resting on the head of his son as the memory came to a close. 'I'm sorry…'
'I never wanted to see…someone close to me die again– so I lied,' His heart felt like it was in a chokehold, his head hanging low to avoid the gaze of his son. 'Using our history, I made sure no one ever wanted to go beyond the stars, and killed or casted away the ones that do…'
'Because I want no one to die, but I just ended up holding everyone back…' His hands reach up to wipe his eyes, Belk's brows furrow at his father's actions, concern now lining his voice.
"You ok?" He pondered, only to receive another ruffle through his hair. "Hey, stop that already!"
Tanaka laughed, tears at the corner of his eyes, Belk pausing for a minute before joining.
'I'm sorry, aurelia.' He thought, 'I only got in the way of your dream'
"Have you gotten taller?" Tanaka asked, his gruff voice softened by a warmth Belk rarely heard. The boy shot up from his crouch, nearly knocking over a stack of moss-crusted stones he'd been cataloging as Belk squared his shoulders, chin tilted defiantly—a sapling trying to mimic an oak.
"I'm glad you noticed!" he snarked, puffing out his chest. The flickering glow carved shadows beneath his collarbones, still sharp with youth.
'And the only way I can repent… is to die by his hand.'
'And make way for the new generation…'
Belk's laughter sliced through the silence, brittle as autumn leaves. "What, no sarcasm? No 'Don't let it go to your head, boy'?" He quipped, awaiting the fated criticism but his grin wavered at the edges.
Tanaka's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Pride's a dangerous thing," he murmured, more to himself than Belk. Outside, the wind moaned through the pines, carrying the metallic tang of distant rain. The man's eyes raised to his son's chin, his gaze lingering on the stubble that remained.
huh
'When did that happen?'