Story Reader / Affection / Luna: / Story
Darkness envelops you once more as hazy images and silhouettes fade in and out of view. Reality and illusion intertwine, distorting your memories.
You seem to hear the chaotic voices much more clearly this time than you did before.
Com... man... dant...
You go first. I'll take care of this.
Current scan... no anomalies detected...
Take care of ▄▆▃▅▂
...advised to return... to... Babylonia... for further...
Sis!
...
I'm not going to hurt [player name], and you know that. I need your power just for a little longer...
...
I see you're awake.
You find yourself waking up at a place you've never seen, with Luna looking at you with a stoic look on her face.
About two hours.
You scan your surroundings as your eyes adjust to the light. The air is thick with a mixture of grass, soil, and rust—a sign it's drizzled here earlier. Judging from the Ferris wheel in the distance that looms in and out of view, you believe this place might be an abandoned amusement park.
You find yourself lying on an old sofa, in front of which stands a rusty barrel—someone must have used it as a makeshift fireplace for warmth before. Luna sits on nearby steps, looking at you with a frown.
...
There isn't anyone but the two of us here.
Luna usually speaks in the same emotionless tone, but there is something untypically rigid about her tone this time.
You figure now isn't the time to unravel these mysteries.
Rest easy. There are no storms here.
Luna answers your question right away in an apparent attempt to not raise your suspicion again.
I flew here.
Hm?
The look from those crimson eyes cut your words short.
That's rude, but I'll let that slide this time.
You feel a little weak, and you aren't sure if you have the mysterious blackout or the impact of the crash to blame.
Free from the pressure of fleeing storms, you lay sprawled on a weathered couch, gazing at the starlit sky above.
What?
The white-haired girl turns to look at you.
Free from the city's light pollution, the night sky reveals its breathtaking allure—14 billion years of history unveiled through countless stars.
Earth's celestial companion hangs silently above, bathing the ground in its gentle radiance.
But Luna doesn't look up at the sky—her gaze remains fixed on a puddle beside her.
Isn't the moon's reflection in the water just as enchanting?
There's an undeniable trace of sorrow lingering in her voice.
Her behavior defies your understanding, but perhaps silence is the most appropriate response now.
The orchid?
A flash of surprise crosses her eyes.
You tell her everything about how you found the orchid.
...
Right around this time, huh...
Fate sure is a curious thing.
Why did you bring that orchid back to Babylonia?
Lonely...
Luna takes out the box, her face displaying a mix of conflicting emotions.
Weren't you curious about what's inside the box earlier?
With a hiss of gas, the container slowly opens to reveal an orchid inside.
Actually, this entire journey is for this orchid. I'm taking it home.
Yes. Will you come with me? I'll help you get back once we're done as a gesture of thanks.
...This time you can, yes.
She turns to gaze once more at the moon's reflection in the water, her expression lost to the darkness of night.
Luna's gentle smile returns as she reaches out to gently touch the flower petals.
That's just one of the many things the current you don't know.
I once made this promise...
...I grew quite a few snow orchids somewhere...
A storm passed there a few days ago, and this was the only one still alive when I went to check on the orchids.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent here. Sometimes I feel like this planet is slowly dying.
The wilderness remains chilly in the dead of night after the rain. The cold starts seeping in seconds after you lie down, making you curl into a ball.
Luna waves her hand, and a red mist slowly materializes into a blanket.
Here.
Told you there are many things you don't know.
It only looks like a blanket, but it works the same way the clothes I wear do.
Taking a closer look at the girl, you see that she's indeed in red and not some random character with golden horns in a green robe.
You don't need to know that much about the Punishing.
Wrapping the blanket around yourself, you feel a lot warmer.
Luna has had a significant change in her attitude ever since she learned about the orchid.
There you go again, talking about weird things.
Beyond the borders of human civilization, you and the agent find moments of joy amid harsh reality.
?
You... didn't try anything funny, did you?
?
Luna turns her head to look at the Ferris wheel in the distance.
A strange Ferris wheel, huh...
You seem to remember Luna saying that she never got the chance to ride a real Ferris wheel.
You still remember how you and Luna rode that bizarre fusion of carousel and Ferris wheel during your connection, and you're sure the real deal is going to be even better.
This place is long abandoned.
You have nothing better to do anyway. It's not like you are going to be ambushed by some magician controlling fairy tale monsters.
