"Mhmm mmm mm."
fwshh.
Alright. Bed's done.
A mattress dressed in white, tucked beneath a thick red blanket, stuffed beasts lined along the headrest.
Sienna turned and headed into the living room. Ikade was already there, seated with a pamphlet unfolded in her hands. She walked over and dropped onto the couch beside her, then leaned back, turning on the television and sifting through the many broadcasts.
"We could check this place out. It looks interesting."
The feline kept flipping through the pages, slowing when a particular picture caught her eye.
The entrance opened into a widening corridor, if it could even be called that—four distinct drops visible, each floor layered beneath the last. The first level boasted a high ceiling, but farther in, the canopy dipped lower as it framed the scenery beyond.
'It's got so much stuff, I don't even know where to look.'
Sienna could practically read Ikade's thoughts from her expression alone. A sharp lens flare finished off the photo, the catwalk suspended from the ceiling drawing her attention.
"I don't see a name—do you? I only see the address."
Ikade's ears flicked at the question. She squinted down at the paper for any clue, then spoke after giving up on the search.
"I guess we can take a look around."
They flipped a few more pages and found something else—a smaller exhibition tucked close to their main point of interest. Another place worth stopping by. Sienna added it to their ever-growing list.
While she did that, Ikade spoke up, still skimming through the flavor text.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen many animals in person. Actually, I've only ever seen small wildefowl around here."
Standing up, Sienna twisted at the waist for a moment before turning to face her.
"Let's eat first, I'm starving—we'll go after."
Even so, they spent the next twenty minutes without much urgency. They stayed in the dorm, resting—idly watching whatever was on television or tapping away at their devices.
Eventually, they gathered their things and headed for the front door. Sienna gave the handle a quick twist just to be sure before they headed off.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The corridors, a crescendo of voices.
They wandered without much of a plan. More and more races filled the corridors, the paths widening and branching, the signs hanging from the ceiling changing with each turn, colors shifting with every step.
They paused here and there, leaning over railings and peering down into open spaces that dropped farther than expected. The busiest areas buzzed, loud and alive, activity packed together like a hive.
In between, a few corridors were blocked off, stores shuttered for the time being across the many decks. Construction showed itself here and there.
"Oohho~ that looks really good."
Ikade bounced toward a food stall planted right in the middle of a widened corridor. Multiply that scene by a dozen more—stalls splitting the walkway down the middle, smoke and steam curling upward in lazy spirals.
The sizzle of food filled their ears, the chatter ricocheting off the walls.
"Hello, what can I help you with?"
Ikade scanned the short menu before pointing to a stacked sandwich, barely held together by a single pick. The older woman followed her gesture and wrote it down, then looked to Sienna.
"This one?"
They paid quickly, drinks already included, then carried their food over to a nearby bench after a short wait. Sitting down, they took their first sips and let the activity around them pass by.
Ikade focused on her sandwich, barely able to wrap both hands around it. Its layers pressed together beneath the homemade bread—eggs at the top, melted cheese stretching with each bite, crisp lettuce giving way between two kinds of meat.
The bread held it all together, soft on the inside with a satisfying crust.
Sienna, for her part, had a dish of perfectly cooked fearh, served beside lettuce and green and purple vegetables, topped with fun-sized tortillas.
Munch! Munch~ Munch~
They stayed seated for another dozen minutes before standing up and tossing their trash away. Sienna flicked a finger toward the stall, sending over a generous tip.
Then they went back to wandering, following whatever happened to catch their interest.
With every flick of her finger, they found themselves pulled toward something new, slowly closing in on their second point of interest. Behind them, they left satisfied smiles and happy chatter—vendors pleased with whatever it was they had managed to sell.
Step.
"Ah…it's closed. Awesome."
Ikade's ears fell flat against her head, her tone full of mock disappointment.
"Lets see...what else could we find..."
Sienna muttered under her breath while scrolling through the map, flicking her fingers uselessly across the display. Ikade returned to her side and pulled up her own phone, searching just as fruitlessly.
In the end, they settled on the main attraction from the pamphlet.
They walked without hurry, joining the crowd until it gradually thinned away. Corridors widened, then narrowed again and again.
Soon enough, an entrance waited for them—taller than any they had seen so far.
fshk—!
heir eyes moved from the pamphlet to the entrance and back again, confusion settling over both their faces before disappointment took its place.
It was dark.
Dark dark.
And yet, not completely empty of life.
"So…" Ikade started, rocking on her heels. "This isn't what I pictured."
They glanced at one other, then looked past the entrance.
Warm light spilled down from above, scattered in uneven pools. They stepped through the straight arch, one of four.
Inside, a couple dozen people lingered across the wide floor. High overhead, the catwalks sat empty for now while a persistent hum filled the air, brushing softly against the castle walls.
Only then did Sienna's gaze catch on a board set off to the side—bright against the metal.
'OPENING SOON.'
She slowed, nudging Ikade lightly with her elbow.
"Oh. Well this is a waste of time."
Turning around, Sienna complained before Ikade joined her.
Step.
Already in front of their dorm, they unlocked the room and stepped inside, swapping their shoes for slippers before dropping onto the couch and resting their weary legs.
Sienna handed the remote over to Ikade, then pushed herself up and headed for the bedroom. She grabbed the spare blanket and, on her way back, tossed it over the feline, earning a soft groan in return.
They settled into the softness, sharing half the blanket and chatting about nothing while the television played in the background.
Then—another version of them.
This time, both were on the floor, rummaging through their bags and pulling out a game board. It landed on the coffee table between the couch and the screen. Like a faded overlay, the earlier pair was ignored entirely while these two skimmed the rules and started a game.
Again.
Now Ikade paced the room, speaking quietly into her phone. Nearby, Sienna typed away on her laptop, seated beside the first version of herself. She reached into a bag of chips, popped a few into her mouth, and kept working.
Again.
But now it was night.
Sienna slowly opened her eyes, her view tilted sideways.
"unngh—I shouldn't have woken up. There goes sleeping."
While her vision adjusted to the dark, she groaned and pushed herself up with one arm. Moving on autopilot, she stumbled toward the bathroom, flicking on the fan and light at the same time. Water ran while she washed her face, then she rummaged through a small bag, fished out a few pills, and tossed them down her throat.
Feels like someone's pulling at my muscles…damn it.
With that thought, she padded back into the bedroom and quietly opened the closet.
She changed into something more comfortable—a beige, flowy skirt that stopped just above her ankles and a loose blouse. She buttoned it haphazardly, slipped on a pair of white sneakers, and made sure not to tug at the necklace resting against her collarbone.
By the front door, she grabbed her purse and put in her earbuds.
With no real destination in mind, she wandered at an easy pace. The corridors were only half lit at this hour, everything split into black and white.
She turned corners without a thought, following nothing in particular until warmth spilled out from somewhere ahead.
Nestled between two closed storefronts was a small instrument shop, its lights still on. Warm and inviting, strings and polished wood visible through the glass.
Yet no one was in sight.
krr—fzz.
The light flickered once when she turned on her heel and stepped through the doorway.
Inside, instruments lined the walls or rested on stands, each one soaking in the warm light. She moved slowly between them, tracing their shapes with her eyes.
Her gaze drifted to the prices, and she nudged herself along to another section. There, she found the guitars. With her interest piqued, she bent one knee and took them in, all their different designs laid out before her.
She looked up for a moment, then bent down again and picked one up.
In her hands, she eventually found a comfortable hold and brushed her fingers across the strings.
~♪~♪
Not liking it much, she tried another.
Then another. And another.
Until she found the one she liked most.
Satisfied, she carried it over to the register and glanced around for a moment. After scanning the guitar, she headed back and grabbed a padded guitar case.
Returning to the counter, she lifted her wrist and tapped her bracelet against the reader. The payment went through without a hitch, and she took the receipt without even looking at the price.
The display flashed once, replacing itself with a small cheerful face.
Sienna opened the case and slid the guitar inside, securing it in place before shutting it closed.
She grabbed the handle and let it hang at her side.
thmp…
The weight lightened when she adjusted her grip, and she set off once more.
With a little more force in her step, she lifted her wrist again and pulled up the map. Flicking a finger, she searched for a spot and punched it in. Arrows along the floor guided her through the maze of corners.
She walked for a while longer, unhurried, the case bumping lightly against her leg with each step. The corridors no longer carried that daytime buzzing mess.
A short flight of stairs took her down one level.
Then another turn.
An elevator carried her lower, the soft hum filling the brief silence while her reflection stared back from the brushed metal doors.
When they opened, she stepped out and kept walking, the path narrowing with every step, the air quieter than before.
—thmp.
step.
Up ahead, beyond a lift tucked into the curve of the hallway, something caught her eye. A scuffle. Stepping closer, their tones could be called amusement. The epithets of indignities, it encompassed them perfectly.
Harassment. Fuuu…you know what? I'm already here. I'm not turning around.
"Caough—you have to gang up on me…heh—fuckin' little girls…"
The man in the center was already bruised, one eye swelling, blood gathered at the corner of his mouth. He smiled anyway, crooked and defiant, then swung—sloppy. His fist barely connected before he was shoved back again.
"Shame, huh?"
Slurs.
Jabs dressed up as jokes. Calling him filthy. Talking about how they should just toss him off the landship like trash.
Step.
Their heads turned toward her all at once.
One of them hooked an arm under the bruised man's shoulder while another suddenly sniffed, expressions flashing across their faces.
"You didn't see the sign?"
"Hah? What sign?"
Her voice carried nothing but mild curiosity.
She turned her head, looking over her shoulder and they followed her gaze.
Nothing. No sign in sight.
One of them muttered a curse when she passed, throwing the man a look of her own—catching the peeling bandage on his cheek, the darkened patch beneath it.
Some luck you've got.
step.
And another.
Soon enough, the bend in the corridor forced them all to slip out of sight.
—thmp.
The hallway opened into a wider passage, and she found her destination: a small cluster of closed-off booths.
Walking up to one, she pressed her bracelet against the panel. A soft chime answered and the door unlocked a moment later. Inside waited a recessed seating nook, tucked away with a short fridge beside it.
She stepped in, sat down, and set her instrument across her lap.
With a flick of her wrist, a few videos popped up after a bit of searching, the screens darting a short distance away.
She removed her earbuds and set them aside.
The door slid shut behind her.