Aliapanacea

  As I dip beh the waves, I reminisce,

  About all the faces that I’ve missed.

  It’s far too prevalent, to dismiss,

  Hoeople vanished into mist.

  Floating free, I ’t deny,

  The way your eyes pierced into mine.

  A brand new world, an azure sky,

  A way for me to ehe brine.

  Prism, Untitled Poem (Christmas 2056).***

  I nervously take a step back from the window, my heart beating wildly in my chest. The petite little mermaid out in the o anxiously pohe name I just gave her, absentmindedly pying with her rge ploofy fin. Her beautiful silver tail is damn long, stretg probably the length of her torso and then some. She looks up at me again, deeply me with her vibrant emerald eyes.

  I’m so gay it hurts.

  As far as I tell, Prism is either reted to, or simply is the person I almost ran into while leaving the Montero estate, which is definitely a funny little ce. Her brue hair floats in little waves around her head, just as fluffy as it was before, if not a bit more even. Her outfit is siingly adorable, the pastel yellow top and white pleated skirt something that I wouldn’t mind wearing myself.

  [“O-Oh!”] Prism’s cute androgynous voiocks me out of my little trahe little grin she gives me makes the butterflies flutter. [“I-I get it! Like the theater thing!”]

  I nod, a little giddy feeling doing a diddy in my chest. “You got it! Now, take this! Er, Achys, if you’d please.”

  The little bird on my shoulder sighs.

  I ’t believe you’re already this hopeless, Emme. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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  There is a fsh of light outside the window, a huge folded lotus floearing out of nowhere. It starts to slowly unfurl, revealing a little glowing… Whale? The honeysweet southern voice of Nyvi es from Achys’ beak.

  [“The universe cries, the Antithesis dev it whole.”]

  Prism watches in awe as the tiny aquatiimal begins to float up, uricted by the woes of gravity.

  [“YET! THERE IS HOPE!”]

  A singly glowy orb floats down, spshing onto the surface of the glow surrounding the whale.

  [“The protectors-”]

  The bird’s voice suddenly shifts back to Achys, who clears their throat. “Sorry sis, I o cut it off there, I already did that gag.”

  [“What?!”] Devastated, Nyvi stops glowing, revealing her white and bck coloration, then floats down towards Prism, who immediately pulls the orto her arms. [“But you wrote that for me!”]

  Achys snickers, c her beak. “Yeah, but it was the perfect opportunity earlier! I’ll make it up to you ter.”

  [“U-Uhm…”] Prism mutters, squeezing the Orca to her chest in a way that makes me want to scream, then slowly says, [“Are you two… actually sisters?”]

  “Eehh…” Achys raises her wing like a hand, shaking up and down a bit. “We’re about as close as it es, but I’m teically a few thousand years older.”

  “A few thou-?!” I sigh, shaking my head. “I probably should have seen that ing.”

  Achys pats me on the head as she says, “Maybe, but that’s kinda beyond the point. We should probably get started on a strategy here.”

  [“Wait! G-Gimme a sed.”]

  Prism closes her eyes as she hugs the drone, going into deep thought.

  Ugh, how is she so freakin’ cute?! She looks so fy sitting there ier with that silly little whale in her arms! Iing with her is gonna be bad for my heart…

  [“Ha!”] Prism suddenly brightens, a humongous grin spreading across her face, her emerald iris sparkling as she loht into my eyes. [“Limelight.”]

  I blink, stare at her bnkly for a few seds, then flush a little when I see Achys looking at me with her stupid smug bird face. “S-Sorry, what what that?”

  [“I’m Ghost-Light, so you be Limelight!”]

  After a moment of us looking at each other, the girl blushes to her shoulders, diving back down to hide her fato the little whale.

  [“YoudidsayouwerenewrightsorryI’mjustaaaaaaah.”]

  I immediately am uo stop smiling, and I drop my fato my hands for a few seds. After shaking my way out of the sheer cocktail of feelings in my chest, I mao say, “I love it, Prism!”

  She looks up at me, and before I know it I immediately move, pointing my hammer to the sky. “Samurai Emmelyn ‘Limelight’ Seras is here to save the day!”

  After like three seds of me holding that pose, I ’t hold it anymore, letting my on fall down as I begin to giggle. Prism takes a moment to stare at me, then joihe mermaid’s joyous ugh tossing a matto my heart.

  Thankfully, before I think about that too muyvi clears her throat. [“I hate to interrupt the moment with bad news, you two, but we really don’t have very much time to dawdle.”]

  Taking a deep breath to recover, I squint with one of my eyes at the orca. “Why did you even clear your throat? You’re a AI, you have no throat to-”

  [“ANYWAYS, Achys, do you have info on what’s going on inside?”] Nyvi uses her fin to give Prism a few pats on the back, the girl having a bit of difficulty catg her breath after ughing so hard.

  I bite my lower lip, doing my best to prevent my desire from disrupting the versation. Achys responds to the inquiry as she flutters into the air above me. “There was a maliciously set up boratory owelfth floor that dumped a bunodel Sevens into the ey's water supply. It’s only a matter of time until the entire pce is overrun.”

  I see Prism visibly pale even through the window, after whiyvi floats up and pats the girl on the head. [“icked up bits and pieces, but that firms that issue. To be ho, I think there is a bigger issue at the moment.”]

  I raise an eyebrow, pg a hand on my hip. “What could possibly be worse than a widespread zombie outbreak?”

  Prism takes a deep breath, then slowly says, [“There are stockpiled Model Seven pills at the tral administration buildings throughout New Houston, so beyond the first victims people are probably safe on that aspect, at least until the sevens start melding their hosts together. Unfortunately, there is a gigantic hathering from a potential mega–hive below, as well as a Model Twenty-Seven produg a sedary threat at sea level. The ey is being pinched as we speak.”]

  “Oh…” I utter as my mind goes to my parents on the fourth floor, “Fuck.”

  [“Aptly put, Miss Emmelyn,”] Nyvi states, now squishing herself against the top of Prism’s head, [“It would likely be most effective to split up again, one doing their best to stem the tide from below while the other asds with the fleeing citizens to keep them safe from any stray models.”]

  I grimace as I g the small girl floating outside. “The roles you’re suggesting are obviously catered to each of us, but I’d really prefer to stay and fight.”

  Achys shakes her head, looking down into my eyes. “While you both may seem supremely strohan before, directly fighting against the ing tide would likely be fruitless, only ending in your owh. Prism is far better suited to the task as she just navigate away and hide if she gets too much attention.”

  I open my mouth tue, but then stop when I see the mermaid look up at me with a smile.

  [“It might not seem like it, but I was trained for this.”]

  The girl floats up to the window, putting her hand on the gss once again.

  [Trust me, Samurai Limelight, if not as a peer, then as a, a-as a friend.]

  I freeze, then huff a ugh as I step forward to return the gesture. “I agree to that, Samurai Ghost-Light. I have you know little missy, if you die I’ll kill you again myself.”

  For a few moments, she floats there, looking at me with her wide doe eyes, then turns a bit red as she nods vigorously.

  [“Y-yeah! Same to you.”]

  She hesitantly pulls back her hand, putting it against her chest for a moment. She stares down at it for a sed, then gives me a timid wave before diving downwards out of sight.

  I wait a moment, then take a few steps and slide down a wall to process that entire exge. Mom and Dad were truly in dahe entire reef slowly being suffocated by aliens. I was going to have to climb as fast as possible to get there before everything goes to hell.

  Achys flutters down, nding in front of me, gring.

  Okay, so if we’re going to talk privately now, yoing to o subvocalize.

  ‘Uh,’ I awkwardly mime, ‘Like this? Wow, I definitely prefer just talking out loud, this is weird.’

  You’re doing fine. Should we talk about everything before you set off?

  I snort, shaking my head. ‘You just wanna tell me off for using so many points ootally worth it, she’s adorable.’

  Are you not worried about her hiding her identity?

  ‘Nah, I already know who she is, I think.’ I smile, then use my hammer to help myself stand. ‘The fact that she obviously seems to dislike it as much as she does is more than enough for me right now.’

  If you’re sure.

  “Yup!” I spin my hammer, the it on my shoulder as I walk. “Hey Prism, you hear me?”

  [“Y-Yup, loud and clear.”]

  “Great, keep safe and be just as cute!” I hum, then giggle as the mermaid's flustered sputtering es through the link. Walking back the way I came, I turn around a sharp er only to whack my head against a low ceiling. Rubbing my head, I grumble quietly to myself as I duderh. ‘Achys, navigation please.’

  I probably should have put it up earlier.

  My gsses fsh, revealing a small minimap and navigation arrow upon the ground in front of me. I follow the navigation fruitfully, at least until I reach the gate to the tral se. A rge crowd surrounds the airlock door, cursing at the thing for not opening.

  I take a deep breath, then ch my jaw and approach. “Are we really doing this again?”

  The older woman from before, who I had learned was rist during our shared climb up the stairlock, grumpily nods. “Yup, they let a few people through, but those supposed to be w at the moment are being held back.”

  I sigh, tapping my hammer against my shoulder. ‘Achys, what exactly would happen if I just smashed my way through.’

  As far as I know, nothing. It should just be there as a way to separate the tral area from the outer one.

  ‘Fantastic.’

  I walk up to the side of the airlock then swing my hammer at the wall, whiy surprise just creates a huge dent rather than breaking it fully. A few voices behind me call out to get me to stop, but I ighem as I stab the top of my on forward, fully breaking through this time and creating a rather rge hole. I step through, then wave for everyoo follow me.

  Trist runs up to me, a mix of ay and relief on her face. “Thanks, but they’re not gonna like that. Are you gonna be okay?”

  I shrug, then intone, ‘Achys, lead me to the trol ter please.’

  Without a response, my guide reappears, leadio a simir tower as the one owelfth. This time however, twe turrets fold out of the wall as soon as I appear. I scoff as I pause, raising an eyebrow as a slightly flustered mase voice loudly decres:

  [“Samurai, you are not to get any closer. There is a crisis situation on the reef, and the ey is locked down.”]

  I sigh, then g the guns poi me. ‘Achys, you-’

  On it.

  The bird on my shoulder vahen reappears in the air betweeurrets. Achys whips their wings outwards, sending two thin spikes of viral flesh outwards, stabbing directly into the base of the ons. They spark before they explode, and before I blink, Achys is bay shoulder.

  [“Oh shit.”]

  I snort, once again walking forward. “Oh shit indeed.”

  I destroy the entrao the tower, casually walking up the stairs with the twelfths workers behind me. I sm a sed door open to find a trol room full of goons nervously pointing guns at me. Trist yelps and ducks back, but I take a step forward instead.

  “Are you guys really going to try this?” I go the closest guard’s eyes, seeing the way he recoils from my gre. “It’s not going to go well for you.”

  One man, dressed in an annoying vintage looking white uniform cocks his fancy looking pistol before pointing it at me. “We aren’t afraid of you, Samurai. The tral administration has equipped us with ons more than suitable to defend everyone on this floor, whether that be Antithesis, riots, or upstart rogue Samurai.”

  He pulls the trigger, a miniature rocket flying out of the barrel of his gun, smming into the wall beside me. The workers behind me gasp, but I don’t even flinch. After all, breaking character isn’t something I do.

  “That was a warning shot,” The uniformed man says with a smug grin, “I am authorized to use deadly force if needed. Get out of my building and atiently for all of this to be over, little girl.”

  I iaking a moment to prehend what I’m about to do. It robably iable, but it still doesn’t feel good. I sort of wish I didn’t have the power to dictate things like this, but that ship sailed a few ho.

  I exhale, the my voice resound.

  “Hello kind sir, I’m so gd you never met me.” I step forward, a sad smile on my face. “You’re my first one, sive me if it’s messy.”

  The man pulls the trigger, one of the rockets flying out and smming directly into my chest. I wince, but the virus absorbs the blow.

  “Just to be fair, I admit that I’m scared.” He fires another rocket, but the impact is not nearly as bad as the first one was. “And sorry for what I must do.”

  Paling, the man takes a step bad stutters, “W-What are-”

  I interrupt him, putting a finger against my lips. “Best not to talk ‘cause you’ll kill the mood around you.”

  Grasping the handle of my hammer with both hands, I bring the head of my on close to the ground. “Just close your eyes and be lucky that I found you.”

  Now visibly pahe man frantically points at me and yells, “What are you dolts doing! SHOOT HER!”

  “No one will ever know.” Shots begin t out from the several guards, the hurrie of bullets smming into my body to no avail, c me nearly entirely in an off white yer of viral flesh.

  “Okay, here goes!” I take the final step forward, the man trembling as I stare up into his eyes. “It’s as easy as owo…”

  “Wait, I have money I -”

  “Three.”

  I swing the hammer, and the man’s head is gone, a fountain of blood where it once was. I raise my right hand, and the virus stretches out to drink the liquid life. A woman a few feet away screams, firing a bullet once again. I turn to her as the tendril retracts, returning my on to the low position.

  “Good afternoon, Miss, you are my sed victim.” I tilt my head with a smile as I take a step forward. “First one was trouble, not to worry ‘cause I fixed him!”

  “P-Please!” She stumbles backwards, falling down as she does. “I was just following-”

  “Shhh, not a word,” I say, taking aep, “‘Cause you won’t be heard, when I have your life in my hands.”

  “Just know what I’m doing is part of a pn!” I pause, raising a hand into the air. “I will ect with as many souls as I !”

  I sigh, putting a hand on my chest. “And the soul that trols me, the ohat I should know, must see my work here.”

  I smile.

  “Which means you have to go.”

  I raise my hammer, and she is no more. I turn to the rest of the guards, who are trembling where they stand, uo look away. I frown, then raise my hammer up.

  “Surely you could uand, haven’t you been in love on the edge where there’s n back?” I growl, a fire rising in my chest. “Just the thought of her take you to a new dimension, so you do whatever you just to get her attention.”

  The guards fire again as I start moving forward, but to no avail.

  “Monster!” One yells, drawing a knife and running at me.

  “It drives you to boil, right up til’ you spill. It drive you to bliss.” I drop the hammer, and the man crumples. “It drive you to kill.”

  One man fires more shots until his gun is empty, frantically fumbling to reload.

  “Sometimes, I feel like I’m living in a circus.” I sigh, beginning to approach the reloading guard. “ with a tear in a tent that isn’t w.”

  Dropping his on, the man heaves a breath then starts running.

  “All work, no py. Day after day.” I point at his back, and Achys takes flight. “‘Til I have a life in my hands.”

  One sed he almost seems home free, until a thin spike suddenly stabs through his head. He crumples as I turn to the remaining group.

  “Good evening, gents.” I drop into a small curtsy as a tendril drinks some blood from the body o me. “Step right up into my circus, I’m the ringmaster and this is where the work is.”

  The men drop their guns, but it’s far too te.

  “Goodbye, you’re done.” I point to the man who had begun this whole fiasco as I start to rush forward. “Do as he does.”

  I leap forward, and ial twirl, it’s over.

  “To lead her right into my heart.”

  I breathe in, then out.

  “If she could see me now, she’d know she’s not alone.” I walk over, scowling as I pick up the samurai grade on the man had tried to kill me with. “The trail of breadcrumbs I’m making, leading her right to my home.”

  I shake my head, then start leaving the tower. I toss the on at a petrified Trist, then leap dowairs till I am outside, away from the massacre. I walk till I am out of sight, then press my back against the wall and hug myself as I whisper:

  “If she were with me now, then love could be the twist.”

  I sniffle, leaning my head back.

  “We could be together, in a world where we exist,” I hold back tears as I repeat, “We could be together, in a world where we exist.”

  I inhale, doing my best to calm myself down. The fire in my heart refuses to be quenched, but that’s okay. I deal with that.

  I force myself to my feet, then exhale.

  “Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a circus.” I begin to walk towards the area’s stair lock, taking one gnce around the er at the tower before I do, bittersweet dread in my chest.

  “Sometimes, I’m in trol.”Aliapanacea