Laniakea struggled desperately; he had never learned how to swim. "Help! I... I need... help!" he thought frantically. "The human body needs oxygen to survive. I need to breathe... Wait, how am I still breathing?" Confused, he realized he wasn't in water at all. The liquid was far too light—a pale blue with a subtle tint of green. Despite the strange environment, he was still trapped. He began to brainstorm: "Luckily, I can breathe, which gives me time to find a solution. Could I just... drink it? No, that's stupid. I read that the average human stomach can only hold 500 to 600 milliliters. Drinking it isn't an option."
He paused, glancing around the shimmering expanse. "But I can't swim. What else is left? It isn't poisonous if I can breathe it. Well... here goes nothing!"
Laniakea began to gulp down the strange liquid. To his surprise, he didn't feel full. "What is going on? I'm sure I've drunk at least two liters. Why do I... want... more? It doesn't taste bad; it's actually a little sweet and incredibly refreshing."
He continued to drink. By the looks of it, he had drained half the pond, yet he couldn't stop. "I'm still sane, so it isn't addictive, but I just can't quit. My stomach should have exploded by now, but I feel energized. All my exhaustion is fading. It's liberating!"
After six hours, the pond was gone, leaving nothing but a small puddle. Suddenly, Laniakea passed out.
When he finally woke up, he stared at the massive, empty basin. "How did I drink all this?" he gasped, his voice echoing in the hollow. "Oh no! Jessica! I promised to read her a fairytale!"
As he sprinted back, he realized his vision had sharpened. The stress of running vanished; sprinting at top speed felt easier than standing up after a long rest. "This feels amazing! Since when was running so satisfying?" He could feel every muscle in his legs moving in perfect harmony. Even the trees looked different—vibrant and beautiful. He could see the intricate details of the bark as he blurred past. With every step, he felt more in tune with his own body.
A journey that usually took two hours was finished in less than thirty minutes. When he arrived at the orphanage, he was greeted by an indignant Jessica.
"HEY! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I waited for two hours!" she exclaimed. Then, her anger softened into confusion. "Wait... why does your skin look so good? Did a noble lady take you away? Is that why you're late?"
Laniakea blinked, shocked. "First of all, where did you learn about noble ladies? You're not even five yet! And no... I just fell asleep. I'm sorry, Jess. But do I really look that different?" He thought back to the pond. "Could it be that liquid?"
Jessica pouted and ran back inside, still frustrated.
Meanwhile, back at the dry pond, the two individuals who had spoken to the Sister the day before stood in the crater. One of them knelt down, pointing at the damp earth. "Hey, look at this! We found some of it. Can you believe it? There's at least 50ml here. We're going to be rich!"