TECELUNA OF 2878
Festival of Souls, a day like any other. The decorated streets made me terribly grumpy. I rolled my eyes whenever I walked into a shop and some whistle blew near my ear, trying to scare me. Wheee ♪ It was a pain.
Of course, that changed after I invited Maia to celebrate with me. Although I felt a little embarrassed about it being my first time, I hardly cared. Joy thrummed inside me, so delicious, and I wanted to enjoy every minute with her.
I searched for costume ideas, since I hadn't thought of anything, much less found the creativity to come up with one. Maia must have thought of something. I took comfort in that possibility and went to bed, excited for the next day.
S-2878 • L6 Teceluna • D25 Alonli
"Teceluna weaves the sky in a low curve. Alonli lengthens the thread of return. The tide traces silver in a gentle step. The story continues whole, in fine light."
We were going to stroll along Art Hive's bustling commercial airways: Terraria and Astera.
I waited, seated on the edge of an LED fountain. Enchanted spirits shimmered around me, sending out floating green, blue, and golden lanterns and releasing pixels that read: 'Happy Festival of Souls.'
The warm wind sprayed water onto my face, so I brushed a strand of hair aside. That was when I spotted Maia walking toward me. I broke into a smile.
She greeted me with a quick kiss and draped an arm over my shoulders, drawing me close. "So? Any ideas?"
Oh, no. Damn it. I should have tried harder to think of something. "No… none." I forced a smile.
Maia waggled her eyebrows and grinned mischievously. "Let's find out together."
The streets were packed with beings looking for costumes, decorations, and traditional treats. Festival of Souls was already next seluna, and the shops' LED façades flashed in neon yellow, red, and olive. Digital vines wound around the buildings while curupiras and caiporas flew overhead. Ancestral spirits, Boitatás, and holoskulls sprang from the ground or walls whenever someone passed, making them jump.
It was actually fun to watch.
Some people were already in costume, making the atmosphere even more spirited. A woman dressed as a saci moved and turned into an iara before my eyes. It looked so real.
We entered FanTog, an enormous department store specializing in costumes.
"Welcome! The virtual fitting room is to your right. The physical fitting room is to your left. If you need anything, please speak to our staff. Happy shopping!" A holoreceptionist greeted us.
Soon, Maia and I found ourselves facing hundreds of costumes arranged by category: iconic characters from series, films, cartoons, famous people, royalty, and many others.
As we wandered through the sections, the joy of choosing costumes for the first time caught me completely off guard. My inner child jumped with happiness. Little Akiko had been forbidden from doing this, but grown-up Akiko… Well, grown-up Akiko was here.
We picked three options to try on.
The first was Jessie and James from Team Rocket, characters from Pokémon. According to Maia, seeing me with red hair would be fun, though I had my doubts about her true intentions.
The second was Vitória-régia and Cobra Norato, inspired by Amazonian legends. Seeing Maia as an enchanted water creature would be funny. The idea, however, appealed to her less than it did to me.
The third was a pair of adventurous raft sailor costumes.
We headed to the physical fitting rooms.
When I finished dressing as Jessie, the chip in the R on my crop top flickered, and my hair turned completely red. I felt a little self-conscious with so much of my body exposed, but overall, I liked the result. It actually looked good. If I'd watched the cartoon, perhaps I would have been more excited. I stepped out of the cubicle.
Maia was already dressed, her hair blue like James's. Her gaze swept over me, and she smiled wickedly. "Hmm… I like what I see."
I raised an eyebrow and pressed a finger to her chest.
Before I could speak, the Rs on our clothes lit up red, and a hologram of Meowth appeared between us. "Those who created me never asked whether I wanted to exist, so I cannot forgive them." He stared at us with his big eyes. "I'm Meowth!" He spun on his heels. "We have so much in common: the same earth, the same air, the same sky. Maybe if we looked at what we have in common instead of always looking for what makes us different… Well, who knows?" The words hung in the air.
Maia glanced away for a second. Something in them had touched a deep place within her, something I wanted to understand. "What?"
I was torn between laughing and remaining stunned.
"W-what he said…" Maia watched the cartoon character with an unreadable expression, as though surprised. Her gaze drifted. She lifted her eyes, still confused, until her expression suddenly grew solemn.
I frowned. It was one of those times when she let a thread of her inner world slip free, a tiny opening in a mighty wall whose existence I could barely imagine. A fortress sturdy on the outside, yet broken within.
I held her hand and stroked her fingers. Maia scratched her flushed cheeks.
Meowth nestled between us and pointed ahead. "I'll be the wild card of crime!"
"Let's change." Maia grimaced, trying to hide how clearly those words had affected her.
I bit back a laugh. Seeing her uncomfortable was funny and strange, and I thought about how much I loved navigating the waters of that sea.
The next costume took a little more work. I struggled to adjust the floral accessory and translucent greenish cloak. When I finally managed it, a pixelated arrangement of giant water lily leaves appeared on my head, with wavy strands falling like aquatic roots. My eyes were made up in shades of lilac and green.
What would Maia look like? I stepped out of the cubicle, eager to see her.
"No… not this one," she complained as soon as she saw me.
Her hair stood on end, blue and black like Cobra Norato's. Shimmering pixelated scales covered her costume, mimicking the serpent's sinuous body. There were dazzling details, a billowing cape, and striking gold accents that brought out her eyes. A holojaw traced a fierce grin across her face.
I could barely speak through my laughter. "Ahh, it actually looks really good." Maia looked charming in that outfit.
"No. Absolutely not." She pressed her lips together in displeasure and returned to the cubicle.
This was turning out to be much more fun than I'd imagined.
It was time for the raft sailor costumes. I put on the fisherwoman's apron with golden details, though I struggled with a stuck fastener. I slipped on the sandals, their straps reaching my ankles, and adjusted the straw hat with white plumes. A holonecklace of shells and a pixelated sheathed knife completed the outfit. It looked great.
But I wasn't prepared to see Maia. She looked beautiful and… intimidating.
She wore a white linen shirt, a dark vest with golden embroidery, lightweight trousers held up by a thick belt, and sturdy sandals. Her straw hat resembled mine, and a bandana was tied around her head. A holoparrot perched on her shoulder.
"Woooow! You really look like a rebel raft captain. A merciless one." I circled her.
Maia gave me an alluring smile and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "If I'm the captain, you'd be…?"
"The captain of another raft." I pointed at her in challenge. "Or did you think I'd be your first mate?"
"I had something else in mind…" A feline smile spread across her face.
My face burned. "You're an opportunist. Anyway… I like this one."
I twirled in front of the mirror. We agreed this was the best costume and returned to the cubicles to change. I tried to take the outfit off, but the fastener jammed completely. Crap.
"Maia?" I called over the partition. "Can you help me? I'm having trouble undoing the fastener."
She knocked on the door. When she came in, she had taken off her vest. All she needed was a bottle of caium in her hand. A rebellious raft sailor. Seductive. Gorgeous.
I turned my back to her. "It's really stuck."
Her warmth brushed against me as she approached, sending a shiver through me. Maia swept my hair forward and ran a finger down my back.
In the mirror, I saw her predatory gaze travel over me.
She nestled her head between my shoulder and neck. Her warm breath met my skin, and electricity coursed through me. At the touch of her lips, my whole body reacted, as though every nerve were on alert.
Her body heat spread through mine. Another shiver ran down my spine. I closed my eyes and held back a sigh.
Click The fastener came undone.
Maia pulled the zipper down to the small of my back. Her touch left a heated trail, and I shivered with every caress of her fingers. She brushed her lips against my shoulder and nibbled my ear. "I want you so much…" she breathed into my ear.
My breath caught. My face warmed, and my heart pounded so hard that the world around me seemed to disappear. All that remained was the warmth of her skin and those whispered words, etched into me. I couldn't possibly face her. My body burned with embarrassment. "Y-you…"
Maia let out a shameless little laugh. "Gonna finish changing." She left, fully aware of the state she'd left me in.
It took me a while to recover. When my heart finally slowed, I took off the costume and put my clothes back on. Outside, I found Maia with her arms crossed, watching me with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
I gathered my dignity and lifted my chin. "Let's go."
Outside, a cloudy sky greeted us in shades of sunset pink and orange. An icy wind danced around us, announcing nightfall.
Maia and I grabbed a bite to eat and headed off.
Today was so much fun…
We were in front of an alley when Maia stopped. "Hear that?"
I tried to listen. Nothing. I looked around.
Meow Then I heard it.
Maia crouched, snapped her fingers, and hissed, "Pspsps."
A dirty gray kitten emerged from the shadows, frightened. It sniffed the air before cautiously approaching her.
Wait a second… I narrowed my eyes. That breed… How…? I crouched beside Maia. The animal rubbed against her and, after sniffing her hand, lost its fear.
I glanced around. "It's a Chartreux. They come from…"
"France." Maia finished without showing much interest in our surroundings. She was busy petting the animal, a tender smile on her face.
That was when… how had I only just noticed? The Enchantress sharpened my perception, and a veil fell away. I held out my hands. The kitten sniffed my fingers, deciding whether I was trustworthy. To my delight, it decided I was and rubbed its little head against my knee.
Prrrr Prrrr Prrrr It purred softly, like a feline secret.
I looked at Maia. You know what? It hardly mattered. I smiled, captivated.
She smiled back. "I'll take care of him."
I raised an eyebrow, even more impressed with Maia. Yes… it really didn't matter. I only wanted to be with her. "Really? What are you going to call him?"
Maia pursed her lips thoughtfully and let out an amused little laugh. "What do you think of Orion?"
I smiled. "It's a good name. He's so cute." She picked up the kitten, who settled into her arms as though he had found his home.
That night, I sensed two things about Maia: the first was that she was more than strength and darkness. There was something else, something ancestral. Instinctive.
The second? I was still trying to understand it.