The Moon (Part 3)
—Evelyn
[Evelyn?]
"I'm fine."
[You don't sound fine.]
"I said I'm—"
Thud
Huh?
[Alright alright, that's enough playing around now]
Swipe
HUMMMMMMMMMM
That was—Gaby's voice? I think?
My thoughts were still slightly blurry. I couldn't really focus on anything properly. The only thing I could really feel was the cold air rushing across my face.
Hhh… Haaa…
I tried taking a deeper breath. It felt better. Much better.But my head still felt—Fuzzy
I didn't know it at the time. But according to them—It took around five minutes before I could actually talk coherently again.
—5 Minutes Later
"…"
I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was much clearer now. The first thing I noticed was Gaby. She was right in front of me. Her visor was almost pressed against mine.
[Evelyn?]
"…Huh?"
[There she is.]
Nicole's voice came through the comms.
[How are you feeling?]
Blink
"I'm fine~" I said out of instinct, my memory still slightly fuzzy only to be shook by Gaby
[Don't do that again.] She said her voice sounded serious, really serious
"Eh? Why?"
[You almost passed out.] Nicole was the one who spoke next. As those words were spoken I instinctively tried to move around, yet my body wasn't responding the way I wanted it to.
Glance
We're at the moon?
Ah.
As memories slowly came back, everything soon clicked into place, the 'experiment' I remembered testing it on myself, then talking to them then—Nothing
..
"How long was I out for?"
[I didn't count] Nicole spoke
[Long enough] Gaby continued.
…
"How long was I out for?"
…
Neither answered immediately. Gaby was still holding onto me, making sure I didn't drift away again. Nicole was floating just beside us.
…
Something felt different.
A few minutes ago, both of them had been visibly uncomfortable. Gaby had been rubbing the side of her neck. Nicole had her hand pressed against her chest. Their breathing had been noticeably heavier. But now—
They looked completely fine.
Their breathing had returned to normal.
No fogging visors.
No nervous movements.
No signs of discomfort.
…
I slowly narrowed my eyes.
"You two…"
[Hm?]
"Why do you look fine?"
Gaby tilted her head.
[Because we are?]
"…."
Nicole shrugged.
[We turned our fans back on a while ago.]
Oh.
Right.
Of course.
I couldn't hear their fans from inside my own helmet.
The only way I could tell was by looking at them.
And judging from their expressions—
They'd recovered quite nicely.
…
"Wait."
I looked between the two.
"You stopped?"
[Yeah.]
Nicole answered.
"And when?"
[A little while after you started having trouble.]
Gaby smiled awkwardly.
[You were getting really bad.]
I stared at her.
"…So you stopped because of me?"
[Obviously.]
Nicole answered.
[You were the one who needed help.]
I felt a little embarrassed, and for a while none of spoke. Then Gaby's expression suddenly changed. A tiny smile appeared on her face For some reason I didn't like that smile.
"Why are you smiling?"
[Nothing.]
"You're definitely smiling for a reason."
[Nooo~]
Nicole suddenly looked away.
…
"What?"
Gaby raised one hand. Her thumb pointed toward herself. Then toward Nicole. Then she smiled.
[We won.]
…
I stared at her.
"…What?"
[We won.]
Nicole nodded.
[We lasted longer than you.]
…
Blink Blink
[You did say this was a competition.]
"I said it was an experiment!"
[Same thing.]
"It absolutely is not!" Nicole quietly laughed through the comms.
[But technically, she's right.]
I stared at both of them.
…
"…I hate you two."
[Hehe~]
[Worth it.]
"I'm never doing this again." Gaby immediately responded.
[Sure.]
Nicole added.
[Until next time.]
"There is no next time."
[We'll see.]
"Nuh Uh" A short silence followed. Then—
[We still won though.]
"…Shut up."
HUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
HAAAA…
For some reason my attention shifted back to the fan as cold air rushed across my face. It obviously felt much better. Well except for one unfortunate factor.
I was still sweating.
My back felt warm. My undershirt was sticking slightly to my skin. Even my gloves felt a little damp inside. The once comfortable coldness I felt through out my body was replaced by this sticky and damp feeling…
…
"I feel so sticky and sweaty."
[Maybe there's a setting to remove it?]
[Doubt, Bronya probably didn't expect us to do something like this]
…
…
WAIT
"Doesn't that mean she knows we did this-?" I asked cautiously
…
[Ehhh, she's probably busy with her work probably didn't notice a thing.]
Meanwhile said Bronya who was 'busy' with work.
"AaAaaAA—CHOOO"
"You good Bronya?" Klein asked slightly confused.
"… Someone must've talked behind my back"
"I wonder who could it be?"
Nod Nod
"Yeah I wonder to."
"Eh probably something mino—Kiana?!?!?"
"Yeah?"
"When'd you get here???"
"Why'd you think Klein spitted his tea?"
"Ah—?"
"You guys had fun without me huh."
Ah.
"Klein—" Yet as I glanced trying to find Klein… Only to realize he had disappeared.
…
Ah.
—Returning back to a certain Evelyn's POV…
The three of us eventually made our way back toward the others. Well—I made my way back. Gaby and Nicole were basically just floating around like nothing had happened. I, on the other hand…
Huff…
I was still feeling the sweat sticking to my clothes.
Great
As we approached, I could see Mahiru, Amane and Firefly waiting nearby. Mahiru was the first to notice us.
[There you are.] She floated closer before stopping.
[Did you three have fun?] Gaby immediately gave her a thumbs up.
[Yep!] Nicole nodded.
[It was fun.]
…
Mahiru looked at them, then at me. I could feel her eyebrows raised her stare one of confusion yet expecting something.
[You don't look fine.]
"I'm just a little sweaty." I said as Ilifted one arm.
"That's all."
[How are you three sweaty?] Firefly tilted her head.
…
Oh no.
Gaby immediately pointed at me.
[She did it.]
"HEY!"
Nicole nodded.
[She started it.]
"You two agreed!"
[We won.]
"Stop saying that!"
Mahiru blinked.
[Won… what?]
…
I slowly looked toward Gaby. Gaby slowly looked toward Nicole. Nicole slowly looked toward Gaby. For some reason it felt like all 3 of us had a silent understanding of each other's mind thus we all said in unison.
"Nothing"
[Nothing.]
[Nothing.]
Stareeeeeee
…
Mahiru clearly didn't believe us. On the other hand—Amanesimply sighed.
[I'm not even going to ask.] He said while shaking his head
THANK YOUUU
Firefly looked toward the Moon beneath us.
[Still… this place is beautiful.] Mahiru suddenly spoke
[I'd like to explore a little more.] Her voice became quieter.
I could see Firefly glancing at us as She looked toward Mahiru then Amane. then me. then Nicole, then Gaby, then she spoke
[I don't think I can carry all of you guys comfortably] She said with a slightly small voice yet SAM's voice made it sound rather confusing
[Now that's a huge problem…] Gaby spoke as crossed her arms seemingly in deep thought trying to find a solution
[We could ask Bronya to make us a space vehicle?] Mahiru said as she raised one of her hands
[I think she's probably busy right now]
…
[Maybe we can Shiro or Reaper to teleport us?] Amane was the second to give a solution
"That would take out the fun part wouldn't it?"
[Hmmm…]
—20 Minutes Later.
…
"Alright I'm out of ideas."
[Same] Everyone seemed to say that in unison, for a while no one spoke a single word, then…
[Ah actually—I have an idea.] Gaby spoke. Almost instantly everyone's heads seemed to twist right into her direction, it almost looked like those horror movie scenarios you see where everything turns their ahead around. Then—
Silence
As everyone awaited for Nicole's answer, then she spoke
[Let's just call—] Yet before she could even finish—Answering
"Well Well Well"
…
Everyone froze.
Silence.
And slowly—They all turned around. Six heads turned toward the voice.nStanding a few meters away was Kiana. Her arms were crossed. A smug smile was plastered across her face. And judging by that smile—
Oh no.
[Other me!] Gaby immediately pointed at her, to which Kiana's smile widened.
"Hello."
Wave Wave
Gaby's posture relaxed almost immediately. Well… only for a moment, as Kiana blinked then she looked at Mahiru, then Amane, then Firefly, then Nicole, then me before finally resting her eyes back looked back at Gaby.
"…You guys really came all the way to the Moon without telling me?"
Nobody answered. Kiana's eyebrow twitched.
[Well…]
Gaby slowly raised one finger.
[Technically—Wait. Where's Bronya and Klein]
…
Silence
…
"Oh, they're fine." Kiana said with a smille, a smile that didn't look comforting in any way
[What did you do?] Gaby asked with a cautious voice
"Nothing :3"
[Other me.]
"Nothing <3"
Other me.
Kiana's smile somehow became even wider.
"I gave them a little…"
She paused.
"Fun lesson."
…
Shiver
…
"What kind of lesson?" I asked to which she only shrugged then with a huge grin she spoke
"Let's just say Klein suddenly remembered that he had somewhere else to be."
[And Bronya?] Nicole said as she tilted her head.
"She'll be fine."
…
That answer somehow made things worse. Gaby slowly floated backward.
[What did you do?]
Kiana took one step forward.
"More importantly…"
Another step.
"You."
[Me?] Gaby said still floating backward
"You went to the Moon."
[Yep.]
"Without telling me."
Gaby's smile disappeared.
[Oh.]
"You had fun."
[Uh Oh.] Gaby immediately raised both hands.
"Which means…"
[Wait—]
"Punishment." Kiana said with this huge grin
[NO.]
Gaby immediately turned around—Well tried to
Snap
Kiana disappeared.
Then—
POOF.
She appeared directly behind Gaby.
[NOOOOO—]
Kiana grabbed Gaby around the waist.
"Got you <3"
[LET GO OF ME!]
"Nope."
And then—Gaby immediately burst into laughter.
[AH—HAHAHAHAHA—WAIT—STOP—]
EFor a moment everybody merely stared dead into the scene that was playing in front of them
Tickle Tickle Tickle Tickle
[AH—HAHA—WAIT—OTHER ME!] Gaby twisted around in Kiana's grip.
"You shouldn't have gone without me."
[IT WASN'T EVEN MY IDEA!]
"You still went."
[THAT'S NOT FAIR!]
Then she went for her sides
[HAHAHAHA—STOP—STOP—]
Gaby's legs kicked uselessly beneath her. Which, in low gravity—Didn't really help her. As she slowly began drifting sideways, trying to avoid Kiana's 'Punishment' to no avail. But well Kiana wasn't letting her drift anywhere dangerous.
Every time Gaby moved too far—
Snap
She was gently pulled back.
Every time she started rotating a little too much—
Snap.
She was turned upright again.
At one point Gaby somehow ended up completely upside down.
Kiana simply grabbed her ankle.
[PUT ME DOWN!]
"You're already floating."
[THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN!]
"***Hehe—***Hold still."
[I CAN'T!]
Tickle Tickle Tickle Tickle Tickle
[HAHAHAHAHAHA—]
Mahiru covered her mouth. Amane looked away. Firefly was trying very hard not to laugh. Nicole? She was absolutely enjoying this.
[TRAITOR!]
"I didn't even do anything!"
[YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS!]
"A little."
[NICOLE!]
The punishment continued.
And continued.
And continued.
Eventually—
Gaby's laughter became weaker.
[Hah… hah…]
Kiana finally stopped.
Gaby floated there.
Completely exhausted.
Her silver hair looked dishevelled, I could even see tears inside her helmet
…
She slowly raised one hand.
[Is it—Over…?]
Huff.
Her breathing had become so labored we could hear it loud and clear.
"Sure." Gaby's shoulders relaxed.
[Thank you.]
Then she looked down at the display on her wrist.
…
"What?" Kiana said as shetilted her head.
[That wasted so much oxygen.]
"Oops :P"
[I feel sweaty as hell now, THERES EVEN A LOT OF TEARS IN MY HELMET]
"Hehe :D"
[Other me…]
…
"Alright Alright" She said while waving her arm slightly then—
Snap
For a brief moment—Nothing happened. Then everyone felt it.
FWOOM.
The lingering sweat and heat from our 'experiment' had disappeared, my hands no longer felt damp, it felt like just like how it did when we just arrived here
"Oh btw—I Know what You did" Kiana said with a knowing smile
Shiver
I could feel my entire body shiver slightly before freezing in place, Oh Gaby and Nicole probably did to as Kiana's smile widened to a huge grin
Silence
Well except for a certain boring Amane
[I knew they definitely did something] he said with a huge sigh
Nobody said anything. Kiana didn't elaborate. She didn't need to. She simply floated there for a few seconds. Then—She finally spoke
"Let's take you on a tour shall we?"