Story Reader / Event Story / Stellar Narratives / Story
Golden sunlight softens the edges of time, while the endless chorus of insects fills the air. Wrapped in the haze of late summer, it all drifts away into a dreamy whisper.
You had arranged to meet her in Constellia, but with a city this big, where exactly would you find her?
Here.
Following the voice, you look up. She is smiling down at you from above, just as distant as when you first met.
So far away she seems like she could melt into the sky itself, and you cannot help wondering if she might float away with the clouds at any moment.
Heave-ho!
The dazzling light from the horizon rushes toward you, carrying the warm scent of sun-soaked air.
Chosen One?
My, my, someone's been enchanted by Jetavie.
She waves a hand in front of your face, smiling with her eyes.
Mmm-hmm! It makes it easier to catch you off guard.
And it's perfect for this thing called a camera. Helps me get better shots.
A Golden Age antique I borrowed from the souvenir shop. Supposedly for filmmaking. With it, I can finally make a movie.
With some hesitation, you take the long, black metal cylinder from her hands. She circles around to your side and proudly presses play.
On the small screen, most of the actors look awkward. The little mechanoids bob their heads, their voices too faint to make out clearly.
The film itself is not all that exciting... incomplete, slow pace, nothing special. You would normally be ready to stop watching.
Somehow, your eyes stay glued to it.
It's set in Constellia, a place you know inside out, yet the way it's captured feels unfamiliar.
The sky is perfectly clear, no haze, no clouds. Light from the towering sky dome pours down in a vivid, dreamlike wash.
People, objects, scenery—everything is right there, yet it feels strangely far away.
Before you are ready, the scene freezes. Then it shifts, old things vanish, new things take their place...
Well?
Before you even notice, the film has ended. She takes the camera back, looking pleased.
Just something for the Double Seventh. It's rare I get to sneak out of Babylonia with you, especially during Kowloong's Double Seventh Festival.
They say it's the day when the Cowherd and Weaver Girl reunite, only once a year. If a moment is that rare, would you not want to remember every second of it?
So I'm going to record today perfectly, as a film.
But you noticed, did you not? The movie is missing a main character.
Exactly. So... you in?
Hmm?
Jetavie's expression suddenly changes, a little unsettling, as she leans in without warning. Her hands slide up to rest lightly on your neck.
My dear Chosen One, have I ever told you there are places I want to take you that go far beyond Constellia...
Snowy peaks, volcanoes, high skies, deep seas... Some might be a bit dangerous for humans. But I'll keep you safe, though the journey might get a little thrilling.
If you say yes now, maybe I'll decide to stay here in Constellia instead, and spend a quiet, peaceful Double Seventh with you.
So? Have you made up your mind? I need your answer—YES or YES?
Good.
She wraps her arms around your neck in one swift motion, pressing her face close to yours.
The sunlight warms your skin, her breath flowing through the narrow space between you.
After holding you for a moment, she takes in your scent with a soft inhale, then steps back.
Alright, back to business.
She gives you a wink, then lifts a camera so large it looks almost ridiculous against her slim frame.
The moment she switches into filming mode, the playful smile fades from Jetavie's face. She focuses entirely on trying different angles.
Why is Jetavie so intent on recording every moment of the Double Seventh Festival? Scenes from her earlier footage play through your mind.
She pours all her effort into capturing moments that can never be repeated.
Her images are always filled with breathtaking beauty, but also touched by the quiet melancholy of things that will eventually fade.
Everything here, no matter how stable it may appear on the surface... is actually a fragile existence.
Collapsing matrices, endless cycles—the memories that shaped her past haven't dulled her passion for life, but they have made her determined to hold on to every beautiful sight.
Today, the Double Seventh Festival, is no different.
Through the oversized camera, she tries to capture everything around her, her free hand holding tightly onto
And suddenly, you understand.
Huh?
She looks up, puzzled, still busy with her work.
What are you thinking, Chosen One? Without me behind the camera, the film won't be perfect!
This day is special—it brought you to me. That's why, today, I must...
But what exists today might be gone tomorrow... I have to hold on to this moment.
...
Before you finish speaking, she throws her arms around you, pulling you into a soft embrace.
Alright, alright, you're rambling... How long are you planning to keep going?
I want a future that lasts a long, long time, so you'd better keep that big promise!
You don't get a choice in the matter anyway.
So, my dear Chosen One, what do you want to film with me?
I still don't get it. What could you possibly do with a camera that was already outdated back in the Golden Age?
A camera can capture scenery, or a person, even their heart. But... looks like I miscalculated.
"This is our film"—that's what that fool told me.
A teasing yet gentle smile curves across her lips.
Still not getting it...
I don't need to fear loss anymore. Instead, I'll embrace the future with
It's okay. You're too young. You'll get it once you're a little more awake to the world.
She gives the little mechanoid shopkeeper a light pat on the head, sets the borrowed camera back on the counter, and strolls away humming a tune.
