TECELUNA OF 2878
Maia said she would be away for a lunation. A simple, vague message. She left like the last leaf from a dry branch in autumn. I knew she would return. But where had the wind carried her? Why? A question cast to fate, its answer wandering somewhere.
I followed my flow, a little pleased that she had thought to tell me. Perhaps someday, I would know.
A little over half the solar cycle had passed. The days crushed me. Pressure grew. Three lunations. Three hells.
Takashi helped me close the accounts. I reviewed everything before sending it to Josivaldo. CogniSynth's patients had rights, and guaranteeing them had been a challenge. Holidays. Dignity. The minimum. I had fought hard for that.
In the three lunations leading up to the solar cycle's crossing, I would reduce the nanoprototype's connection. They needed to be well, physically, mentally, and spiritually, to celebrate.
There were costs. Travel. Accommodation. A team ready to act. Unexpected expenses. They came from everywhere. Enormous costs. Every decision weighed on my flesh. My body hurt just thinking about it.
I was approving another patient's trip when Takashi appeared. "Hideaki would like to know whether you're available to meet tomorrow."
My mind was still submerged in work. I raised my eyes, the weight on my shoulders easing for a moment. "O-of course. I can prepare dinner at my apartment. Eight."
Hideaki accepted.
At Home
I ran my fingers across the bioscreen, browsing Japanese recipes. Images of delicate, meticulous dishes danced before me. Choosing one was more than a culinary decision. A way to feel close to her. After all, Hideaki preferred depth.
I was born in Osaka, but my parents moved to São Paulo in 2846. Growing up in Brasil was no excuse for being unfamiliar with my roots. She made sure I immersed myself in Japanese culture: the language, food, rituals, the weight of words and silences, sacred dates, values, and habits. Traditions that keep a people alive beyond the cycles.
Though I rarely practiced them, I appreciated them deeply. They brought us closer. Distracted us. A piece of us. A bond cowoven in the Corchesweave.
S-2878 • L6 Teceluna • D17 Fluxli
"Teceluna weaves the sky in a ripened thread. Fluxli releases the curve in living silver. The tide draws a path through the air. The story carries on steadily, in gentle radiance."
I checked that my apartment was spotless. Hideaki had a meticulous eye. I would always remember. One day, after visiting, she sent a message: 📩 "There's a crooked painting in your living room. It could affect your yin-yang."
I prepared miso soup, a vegetable pancake, assorted vegetable skewers breaded with panko, shiitake, eggplant, green pepper, pickled vegetables, daikon, and jasmine tea.
The doorbell rang.
Filled with my Mother's energy, I adjusted my hair and opened the door.
Short hair framed her stern face. A discreet smile softened her presence. She wore a turtleneck, a meticulously arranged beige coat, and an impeccable skirt over black tights. The Chronos bag rested on her arm like a seal of status. She bowed as she entered. "Ojama shimasu." Hideaki exchanged her shoes for slippers, placed her bag on its stand, and hugged me tightly.
We stayed that way. She stroked my back. Only when I received the hug did I realize how much I had missed it. I breathed in the familiar scent of my mother beneath her gentle perfume.
"Missed you. You look so beautiful. So healthy." Hideaki squeezed my cheeks. "Eating well, apparently."
"I missed you too."
We walked to the dining table.
"Mmm. Delicious." She sat at the head. "How are you?"
I sat near her. "Well. Happy to be here."
"Well, ideally, I would have come tomorrow. But I have urgent business. By the way…" She raised her eyebrows, revealing a few little wrinkles. Then picked up her bag and took out an envelope and a pink box. "Before I forget. Otanjoubi omedetou." Happy birthday.
I smiled gently. "Okaasan, sutekina tanjoubi purezento wo arigatou." Mom, thank you for the wonderful birthday present.
I took them. Opened the box of chocolates and the envelope containing an Ondin, a money-transfer code. She always gave me the same thing. Somehow, though, I liked the predictability.
Hideaki held my hand. "Wanted to do more, but you're so grown now."
Grown? I had lived thirty-four solar cycles. I briefly pulled a skeptical face. Perhaps it was a mother thing.
While we ate, Hideaki asked about my work. Little had changed since the selunary meeting.
She smoothed a discreet crease in the tablecloth before taking her cup. Small gestures replacing unspoken words. "What else can you tell me? You seem different. If I didn't know you, I'd say you were seeing someone," she remarked casually.
My face warmed immediately. Why could everyone see something I barely understood? Even my mother!
"Oooh. Is it true? Well, well." She drank her tea.
I rolled my eyes.
After my reaction, she left the subject alone.
Truthfully, I felt a little uncomfortable with her. We were far from close. When I was twenty cycles old, she and Riki divorced. They bought the apartment in Zenith so I could live alone. Hideaki visited on my birthday. On two random Nativities too, if I remembered correctly. She rarely asked about my personal life. I rarely asked about hers. We only knew each other professionally.
At first, I missed that contact terribly. Eventually, I grew accustomed to the distance. Of course, I recognized her efforts to stay close. But so much time had passed. Believing we could strengthen that bond was difficult.
"And that…?" Hideaki swallowed the words. They probably tasted bitter.
"You know… he's indifferent." I drank my tea.
Anger entered her eyes. Her jaw tightened. "Bakayarou! Baka! Usunoro! Konoyarô!" Sharp words, spat through clenched teeth. Her cheeks reddened. For a moment, her own fury seemed to suffocate her. "Forgive me. Just thinking about him gets on my nerves."
I held back a sympathetic laugh. Funny. When she wanted to swear, she swore in Japanese. Honestly, I cared little that she cursed him. She did it when alone. Perhaps doing it before me was liberating. The only person who understood all her fury. As for me, I had lulled my feelings toward him to sleep. I preferred it that way. Handled situations by avoiding my demons.
We talked a little longer until it was time for her to leave.
"Are you sure you have to go? You can sleep here."
She shook her head while searching her bag. "Have to leave for Bali before dawn."
What would she be doing in Indonesia right at the turn of a seluna? It must be something very… that reminded me… "Hideaki…"
"Yes?"
"Do you know how UNITED's NB-Mend tests are going?" Asking about other research projects was normal for me. She would trust me.
Hideaki grew thoughtful. "Ah, dear. It's confidential. We suspended the tests."
My eyes widened. Every nerve went on alert. "Why?"
"The tests were disastrous. Initial results were positive enough. After a while, though, the volunteers began dying."
"Since when?"
"Testing began cycles ago. This started happening two solar cycles ago. Connecting the deaths to NB-Mend was natural. We suspended the research until they investigate the problem." She shrugged indifferently.
My heart lost its rhythm. I hid my panic. "Do they know the cause?"
"No. I believe they'll have an answer soon. They saved two patients. Still insufficient to resume the research. Dear, why so many questions?" Hideaki was visibly impatient to leave.
After saying goodbye, I went to my bedroom and threw myself onto the bed. Released my body's weight. Was this what Maia carried? Could I do something? My mind searched for solutions.
I decided. Over the next moons, I would work my way to the answers and investigate the project's status. Since I had helped with the research for a while, nobody would find my interest strange.
The Next Day
Rain fell incessantly. I read almost all day. Only stopped for snacks. Comfortable pajamas. Wrapped in blankets. I still had a little energy, but my Enchantress was beginning to emerge. The world around me seemed to disappear until the doorbell cut through the silence.
I raised my head. Could Hideaki be surprising me? No. She was honest about work. Or maybe… no. It couldn't be him. Riki had never visited. Why now?
I walked distractedly to the door. Ready to send him away. When I opened it, my heart stopped. "W-what…?" My voice disappeared.
"Really thought I'd miss your birthday?" Maia gave a mischievous smile.
"H-how do you know?" I had counted. Moons remained before she returned from wherever she was. No. That was the least of my worries. How had she appeared like this? I looked sleepy, my hair was a mess, and I hadn't even bathed.
"Aydan told me." Maia stepped inside, her gaze sweeping over me. "You look so cozy."
I lowered my warm face. "Yeah…"
Maia chuckled. "Got plans?"
"I don't celebrate my birthday."
"What do you mean? Why?" Her fingers brushed my chin. Light, but firm.
"It's irrelevant."
"It's important. We have to celebrate." Excitement flashed in her eyes.
I frowned. "Seriously?"
"Know what we're doing." She beamed, as though she had just had the best idea in the world.
Irresistible. I sighed, surrendering. Bathed and put on a knee-length black coat.
We left.
The rain eased. A taxi waited at the curb. We flew to the famous Art Hive, an aeroneighborhood in Centrália. An enormous pixelated sign glittered above the streets:
Fireworks Festival — Art Hive
The entire neighborhood glowed beneath marine-themed decorations. Translucent jellyfish holograms floated above us. Their many colors dissolved in the air like waves of ink.
Their violet reflections painted Maia's face, mingling with the amber glow of her eyes. She seemed to float between dimensions.
Monumental whales crossed the space between floating buildings. Sharks of spectral light followed. Dolphins played in graceful spirals. Seals leaped between shimmering spheres. Other beings wound through the crowd as though watching us from another world.
"The ocean sings. Listen. Respond. Flow with the waters." Intermittent holoscreens displayed environmental messages: "The ocean is Corchesweave. Preserving it preserves the weaving's flow."
"The sanctuaries call to you—every drop connects worlds."
"Honor the waters. Honor the Corchesweave. For what flows here flows through every weave."
They also showed animals rescued from filthy seas and attempts to clean the waters. "Each rescue is more than a future. It's the eternal flow continuing to vibrate."
I approached the water. My fingers brushed its liquid surface. Only a light touch. Yet in that instant, something touched me back. A ripple formed. Subtle at first, then expanding into the distance, as though something had awakened.
My heart fluttered. Had this happened before?
The hologram's light wavered. The ocean's colors distorted into spirals. Water shone as though alive. Goosebumps rose on my skin. A strange chill traveled down my spine.
Then it came—a wave. Inside me. I closed my eyes. My body warmed, as though every drop of water in the universe recognized my existence. And I saw. A star-filled sky. An endless sea. Something calling me. A voiceless voice. Only a deep feeling. The distant echo of a whale. Waves roaring against a shore I had seen in another existence. The smell of the ocean, as alive as a heartbeat.
I opened my eyes, breathless. The waves disappeared. The hologram returned to normal. The festival continued as though nothing had happened. Yet something inside me had changed. I looked at my still-damp hand. My heart still glowed like an echo of the waters.
Maia watched me. Said nothing. But her eyes held more than surprise. Maybe… maybe she had felt this before too.
We passed through the entrance.
The smell of fried food and spices perfumed the air. Salt from the environmental vaporizers filled my nostrils.
The crowd made way.
Rows of stalls overflowed with tempting choices: handmade goods, floating toys, shooting games, fishing, water jumps, tests of strength and virtual reality. A nanoFerris wheel turned slowly among the rooftops. A carousel of marine creatures shimmered in a hypnotic rotation. The nanoroller coaster and free-fall tower floated between the streets, suspended on an invisible nanotrack.
"What d'you wanna do?" Maia asked.
My stomach answered first. Growled audibly beneath the festival's noise. "Eat."
Choosing among so many options was difficult. I settled on a vegetarian hot dog. Maia, as always, was happy with something simple: fries.
We ate while watching a talent show. A young woman played the piano. Her hands glided across the keys in a gentle, melancholy melody. Like a whisper beneath moonlight.
"Mademoiselle, désolé de déranger. Pouvez-vous m'aider?" A voice whispered behind me: "Miss, sorry to bother you. Can you help me?"
I turned.
A ragged man watched us, eyes wide. Scanned the surroundings as though being hunted.
"Monsieur, vous feriez mieux de ne pas parler français. Peut parler Brésilien?" I whispered back that he should avoid speaking French and asked if he spoke Brazilian. If anyone heard him speaking French there, he could attract unwanted attention.
He lifted his gaze, hesitant. "N-no… I speak poorly."
"It's okay," I encouraged. "Try. If someone sees you speaking that language, you could…"
I cleared my throat, uncertain. "Anyway, what do you need?"
Maia stared at the man in silence. Her expression transformed into something that made me shudder. Her aura grew heavy. Suffocating. I had never known anyone who could gather such a sinister atmosphere around them.
My intuition said this was less than half the full magnitude of her terrifying aura. Dazed, I returned my attention to the man.
"Need… to get…" He struggled against his accent. "To this. Address." His fingers slipped along his coat.
An instant. A gust swept past me.
Maia grabbed the man's wrist. Her eyes shone with something animalistic. She leaned slightly closer. "Vous pouvez parler français. Quelle adresse?" she hissed coldly: "You can speak French. What address?"
He froze. Swallowed hard. "Je ne sais pas, mais le nombre est 244," he whispered. "I don't know, but I know it's number 244." He could barely face Maia.
She released him just as quickly. Gestured ahead. "Cerda Street. Crosses the wide Heri Avenue."
The man nodded fearfully and left without looking back.
My attention drifted from him. Focused on Maia.
She picked up another fry and chewed slowly, watching him disappear into the crowd. Then turned to me, smiling. Her carefree smile veiled what had just happened. The terrifying cold in her aura evaporated as though it had never existed. "You speak French?"
My heart still hammered in my temples. It took me a moment to answer. "Y-yes…" What was that? How had she seemed like another person within seconds?
"Why?" Genuine curiosity filled her voice.
I focused on the stage. The singer's performance. Let the music surround me. Tried to dissipate whatever trembled inside. "Rebellion, maybe?" I joked. "What happened to France… I don't know. Think learning it was a rebellion against my parents too." I sighed, laughing softly. "Silly, I know. Even they have no idea. You speak it too…"
Maia kept watching me with a peculiar brightness in her eyes, as though unraveling something. "Yeah." The brightness intensified. She seemed excited. It unsettled me.
We continued walking.
Stopped before a stall of technological trinkets.
"What exactly do you do?"
"I'm coweaving a nanoprototype. CogniSynth. To turn the memories of the living into audiovisual media. You can watch memories on a holoscreen."
Maia played with a little pixelated figurine. "Is that really possible? You really are incredible." She smiled proudly.
I nodded shyly.
"Seriously. You're amazing."
My face warmed. Amazing. How could a compliment make my heart beat harder?
We continued our night and went to the Ferris wheel.
Maia rocked the cabin on purpose. I clutched the support and opened my eyes. Her face so close. Her amber gaze traveled over me until it settled on my mouth. Her hair reflected violet. Pink. Lilac. Purple. Blue. A myriad of shades. Colorful holofireworks bursting in the sky. Her breath near mine. Suddenly, the sounds vanished. Only the heart's rapid rhythm remained. Her face drew closer. Her lips touched mine.
It felt like an eternity. One of those memories to keep forever. The cabin moving slowly. Maia's woody scent mingling with the icy air at that height. Colorful shapes lurking behind closed eyelids. The warmth of her fingers sliding over my nape. Gentle. Affectionate. Our kiss, which will forever vibrate in this memory.
When we opened our eyes, we were back at ground level. A shiver ran down my spine, anchoring me to the present. Our faces stayed close. Many-colored shades danced over us.
We continued to the other attractions.
The nanoroller coaster was fun. Drew a few screams from me and a shudder from Maia. We rode the carousel. Maia sat behind me and held my waist. Her warm hands sent heat tingling through my body.
"Having fun?" She brushed her nose against my ear. Her husky voice sent a shiver through me like lightning in the darkest night.
So shameless. "Y-you…"
After that, we went to the free-fall tower. Or rather, the astral projection simulator. I felt my soul leave my body. Shared my theory with Maia.
She threw her head back, roaring with laughter.
"What?! Really thought that was impossible. I was wrong."
She draped an arm over my shoulders. "You're funny. Excellent theory, really."
We walked toward the game stalls. Among the prizes was a white teddy bear. Memories surfaced. I hurried closer and picked it up.
So similar… "Wow. This brings back memories. Had one just like it as a child. A great friend." I put it back. Felt a little stupid for saying it.
Maia took it in her hands. "Want it?" Her expression was so kind.
One of those moments when an exchanged glance conveyed an immensity of emotion. Emotions so alike. So different. At those times, my heart reaffirmed: I wanted only her. Circumstances, distances, mysteries mattered little. Details before the infinity of my feelings for her. Hers for me.
I nodded, smiling.
We went to a shooting stall. FluffFling.
I grew frustrated. Those were always the hardest games. I sighed in defeat. "Forget it. Must be almost impossible." All the excitement of having my childhood teddy bear drained away.
"Hey." Maia ignored me and called the android. "What do I need to do to win that teddy?"
The android gestured to the fake guns and tiny targets on the wall.
I squinted to see them. So small. Impossible. Simply impossible.
"Hit five. Wanna try? Three bireais."
She made the transfer.
Squares moved randomly across the wall while shrill, bizarre music played.
I knew there was a catch. It got worse. There had been a chance before. Now, with them spinning? Zero. "Ah, this is impossible. Nobody could possi—"
Maia picked up the gun and adjusted it in her hand. Hit five targets in less than a blink.
"W-w-what?" My voice trembled in disbelief.
She chose the teddy bear as her prize. Smiled charmingly. "For you."
"H-how?"
Maia shook her head and hugged me.
Before I knew it, we were walking again.
Too dazed, I tried to forget it and enjoy the moment. Took the bear from her hands. "Thank you. You're…"
Except Maia could never fit into one word. One definition. More than mere letters together, she was a formidable formation of sentences tangling into one another. A fine thread, so intricately entwined that its interpretations kept expanding. Comprehending her required more than the visible could offer. It demanded quiet, feeling, rhythm, and a deeper vibration.
She rested her forehead against mine. Maia understood me by feeling me too.
"Can I make a birthday wish?" I met her expectant honey-colored eyes. "Will you answer if I ask you a question?"
Maia held my gaze. The sparkle diminished. She lowered her head. I felt the weight of my words. Their meanings. "Aki…" She held my hand tenderly.
I shook my head. Smiled with my eyes. "Forget it. I know you have your reasons. I trust you. Know it's the wrong moment too. If there even is a right one." My heart overflowed. My voice caught. "I don't know what's happening. But please, trust me if I can help. If there's anything I can do."
Her hands caressed my hair, traveled down my neck, then slipped into her coat pockets. She took out two small keychains. A gray she-wolf and a penguin. Maia gave me the wolf. "This one's yours. So you'll always remember me."
I lost myself trying to react. Perhaps with a foolish expression. "Wow! This is so special."
She swung the penguin from her finger, smiling sweetly. "This one's mine. To always remember you. Obviously, I hardly need a keychain for that."
I held the wolf against my chest, feeling its weight. Maia smiled, twirling the penguin around her finger. Like two worlds spinning on the same axis.
Her words, gestures, and the setting made 'forever' seem real. My heart was so happy that, if the world ended right there, I would die at the height of my happiness. It hardly seemed that this 'forever' would last within life's finitude. As our voices weakened. Bones. Legs. As our skin lost its firmness. When our hair—or rather, my hair—turned white as snow. At last, we would return together to the Corchesweave.
No.
That forever would never happen. A forever that lasted…
My eyes must have been wet. I hugged her waist, wanting to hold her for eternity.
We stayed like that for a while.
Then I had an idea. Smiled, amused. "Can I make my birthday wish? Will you celebrate the Festival of Souls with me?"
Maia pulled an intrigued face. Nodded, laughing. "Of course."
"Let's look at some costumes."
She chuckled and hugged me.