Year 3002
Midohira, Daikidageda
Rakuten crouched slightly and moved her left leg further away from her right leg. She took a small step forward and clenched her fists. In a swift motion, she started sprinting, concentrating on every step she took and every breath she drew. There was a circular trail on top of the hills, one of Rakuten’s favorite places in Midohira.
“I have waited two years. Anytime now…” she thought to herself, with a glow in her eyes.
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“Hey there, beautiful!”
Startled, Rakuten and Rintaro looked on the other side of the street to spot an overly excited Fusan waving at them, calling for Rakuten at the top of her voice.
“How do you get along with her!” Rintaro irked.
“She just wants to have some fun, unlike you!” Rakuten snapped. “We should have dinner with her.” she added.
“I don’t like their food; the flavors are not subtle.” Rintaro said with a cross face.
“You could go home; but I will join Fusan tonight. The new restaurant around that block is inspired by the recipes that Jizen shared with us. I am craving some paneer grill masala!” her voice faded as she ran towards Fusan.
“But do you remember what day it is, tod-“ Rintaro stopped as he saw Rakuten cross the street and run towards Fuan.
“Endian food is delicious! Although,” Fusan paused “Peetza is my favorite dish here!”
They settled down at a table and ordered some food, as they were catching up. “What’s nu, Fu?” Rakuten asked.
“There’s this one guy I-“ Fusan was amused at Rakuten, who leaned in to try and hear her closely. “Look at you, interested in all of my stories!”
Rakuten squinted her eyes and signalled her to resume her story quickly.
“He keeps running into me almost every day, as if he knows where I am headed. And,” Fusan paused, “I think he is sitting three tables across. Don’t look!”
“The tall man with a sharp face, wearing a blue jacket?” Rakuten asked. “I spotted him when we entered this place.” she winked.
“Raki!” Fusan exclaimed, “Stop eyeballing the men I admire; you have Rintaro!”
“I happened to notice him, similar to how I noticed other groups around him - the group of five women spending their evening, the young boys having a rather crazy night and the awkward couple who are trying to strike a conversation.” Rakuten said.
“How did you even notic-“ Fusan shook her head. “So you don’t admire Haizaki?”
“So we have a name already, interesting!” Rakuten said as she patted Fusan’s shoulder.
“I mean, he is good.” Fusan winked. “Better than the men in Midohira, or maybe… Daikidageda.”
The expression on Rakuten’s face changed from being pleasant to shocked. “Is he from… Earth?”
Fusan blushed, as she tried to look in his direction. Her blush brittle in a moment. "He is walking towards us."
Rakuten helped Fusan fix her top to make her look prettier, as they pretended to have a nonchalant conversation.
"Taller women have always attracted me; never did I imagine finding someone so attractive, on Daikidageda. Are you one of your kind, miss?" the ladies heard a confident masculine voice, as Haizaki approached them.
"Hello, stranger, I am doing good. Thank you for asking. How would I know about being one of a kind!” Fusan responded in a low sarcastic tone as she played with her hair, trying to steal glances at him.
"Ah, I would not worry about others of your kind, if I know where I could find you tomorrow evening." he said, as he cast a light flirtatious gaze in her eyes. “Although, I am disappointed, for not being able to upgrade myself from being a stranger."
"My plans are spontaneous.” Fusan began, “Maybe figuring it out yourself could impress me, and maybe that would get you an upgrade.”
Rakuten was enjoying the banter as the delicious food was being served along with some alcohol. Just when she was about to start sipping on her drink, she stopped momentarily. A slight surge of pain seared through her forehead and she felt breathless. Her vision got blurry and she fumbled with the glass in her hand.
“You need me, like I need you.” Rakuten heard a voice behind her. She could not spot anyone as she turned around. She shook her head, and gulped down her wine in a single sip.
“The party seems to have started here!” Fusan exclaimed, holding Rakuten’s hand.
The warm touch of Fusan and the alcohol flowing down her throat brought Rakuten back to her senses. Her breath eased and her vision clarified again. She smiled sheepishly at Fusan, stealing a quick glance at Haizaki, only to realize that his eyes were fixated on her. She arched her eyebrows and tried staring back into his eyes.
“It is my pleasure to meet you, miss! I am Haizaki.” he said in a cold tone, as he extended his hand for a greeting.
“Likewise.” Rakuten responded, as their hands met for a brief handshake. “I am Rakuten.” They froze for a moment, as they greeted each other and gazed deep into each other's eyes.
Haizaki composed himself quickly and looked towards Fusan, “I will see you tomorrow, miss!” he said as he took their leave.
Rakuten and Fusan looked at each other as they exchanged a hi-five.
“How about I wear my tallest boots tomorrow?” Fusan laughed, as she started with her drink.
Rakuten smiled awkwardly, as she looked down at her hand. She saw a little piece of paper with something scribbled on it.
‘It will never work for you! She was a liar’ the piece of paper read. Along with the message, Rakuten spotted a time and an address of what appeared to be a restaurant, in one of the busiest areas of the Midohira. With an unfazed expression, Rakuten folded the piece of paper back in her hand bag, as she continued chatting with Fusan.
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“Where are you getting ready to leave for?” Rintaro asked, still lying down on his bed.
“To meet a friend.” Rakuten responded, softly.
Concerned, Rintaro asked, “Do you not want to share some more details, Raki?”
“No.” she said, taking one last glance at the mirror before leaving.
“Raki?” Rintaro asked, getting out of his bed.
“Yes?” she said, avoiding eye contact, expecting him to speak. “What is it?”
Rintaro’s face turned extremely sad. He continued looking at Rakuten, as she picked her hand bag and looked at the mirror, yet again.
“Are we growing apart?” he asked, a little numbness apparent in his tone.
“Growing apart?” Rakuten squinted her eyes, “What are you talking about?”
Rintaro fell silent, as he saw Rakuten open the door. As she stepped outside, she gazed at Rintaro. She felt the surging pain in her forehead and a hint of breathlessness. Rakuten shook her head as the door shut behind her. Rintaro walked towards the windowpane to watch her go, rather hastily.
“I miss you, Raki.” he murmured.
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“I did not imagine being able to meet you so soon, Rakuten. You seemed like one who would need some convincing to meet a stranger.” Haizaki said, as he sipped on his drink.
“It is not important what I seemed like to you. Instead, you could tell me why are you meeting me, instead of meeting your date, Fusan?” Rakuten asked with an unchanged expression on her face.
“Ah… You do not like wasting any time, do you?” Haizaki said as a flashy grin grew on his face. “Me approaching Fusan was merely for the sake of convenience, for me to slip the piece of paper in your hands, without frightening you.”
Rakuten continued to look at him with an unwavered expression.
“Let me get to it, right away,” Haizaki paused, “I know what you are going through mentally, Rakuten. Jill finally convinced you to use Idiosyncrasy, didn’t she?”
Rakuten skipped a beat, as her expression changed this time.
“Jill?” she asked.
“Ah… She masqueraded with a different name, that is so typical of her!” Haizaki laughed.
“Are you asking me about Jiz-” Rakuten paused as the sudden shot of agony traversed through her forehead again. As she tried rubbing her forehead, she could sense the noises in her surrounding fading out.
“Don’t!” she heard a voice from within. Rakuten panicked hearing a familiar yet indistinguishable voice. She shook her head and took a big sip of her drink, to feel relieved.
“Are you asking me about Jizen?” Rakuten asked, confidently this time.
“Ah… Jizen!” Haizaki said, his anger apparent in his facial expressions. “She is greedy for power and she lusts supremacy.” Haizaki’s tone oozed empathy, as he leaned in on Rakuten, with his sorrowful eyes fixated on her. “Jill was certain that the innocent people on Daikidageda would take her bait.” he mumbled.
Rakuten was flabbergasted. “Was Jizen-” she began, horrified, “Was Jill not a friend?”
They shared a few silent moments, taking small bites of the food they were being served.
“I am certain, you know a lot about Idiosyncrasy. The drive of the evil humans on Earth, the likes of Jill, to be the most dominant force on the planet, made them overuse this technology. Avidity for dominance is infectious, Rakuten. Humans wished for Idiosyncrasy to be stronger than it already was and therefore they began looking for answers outside Earth. Our scientific research proved that the species on Daikidageda are stronger than the species on Earth. Jill’s purpose to set foot on Daikidageda was not to request you for your help; rather, she is the bad element on Earth.” Haizaki sounded enraged.
Rakuten could not believe what she had just heard. Two years ago, when an alien from Earth arrived on Daikidageda, Rakuten chose to trust her instinct and address her as a friend; and here she was, in a similar situation, unable to determine if the incidents that transpired two years ago were a part of a facade.
Haizaki continued “It was all a part of Jill’s plan. She intended to gain your trust and subsequently, popularize Idiosyncrasy amongst the humans here. This ensured that molten Midohira was a part of a majority of human bodies, which enables her to perform scientific experiments and find answers for bolstering their supremacy across the universe.”
Rakuten continued staring into his eyes, the shock in her eyes converting in a glare.
“I trusted her!” Rakuten shrieked. “Jill warned us about the massacre that awaited us when the bad elements from Earth arrive to capture the animals on Daikidageda, and this made me and Rintaro set up Rini Chem - a group of members devoted to defending our planet by using the powers of Idiosyncrasy. We ended up hurting countless animals in the process. The perfect society that Jill promised me of, where animals and humans could live in harmony, using one's strength to help another, was a lie!”
“The promised perfect society!” Haizaki smirked, “Jill would never let that happen, Raki.”
“Only my friends can call me Raki.” she snapped
“I am your friend, Raki. I have aspired and fought for a similar concept of a perfect society all my life and therefore, I chose to not use Idiosyncrasy, something unusual for humans devoid of emotions. I am here to protect you from Jill and the likes of her. I would always be around you to protect you from the real bad elements of Earth.” Haizaki leaned in further. Rakuten did not retract, as she tried to process what Haizaki said. “Together, we can create the perfect society that we have always dreamt of and I want you by my side while we see it through.” Haizaki added.
Haizaki being the first and the only person to acknowledge and share the aspiration of creating a perfect society was enough to persuade Rakuten to trust her instincts, yet again. Did she see a ray of hope amidst the chaos? Haizaki held her hand and fondled, as he tried to calm her down.
“Was Jill an instigator of chaos?” she asked. “Two years ago, I ended up hurting an animal to try and be stronger, and yet-”
“Idiosyncrasy would never work for you, Raki. It is time you let go off this burden and join me.” Haizaki said in a cold tone. “Give me…” he paused, “Jill.”
Unable to determine whether or not Haizaki could be trusted, Rakuten pushed him aside and started running out of the restaurant. She stood at the side of the street and looked both ways, panic growing in her heart. She could not focus her mind on her thoughts, owing to the chaotic screeches in her head. She started running, almost colliding with people on the busy streets of Midohira. She arrived at the foothills of a small mountain and halted momentarily, drawing deeper breaths..
Rakuten crouched slightly and moved her left leg further away from her right leg. She took a small step forward and clenched her fists. In a swift motion, she started sprinting, concentrating on every step she took and every breath she drew. There was a circular trail on top of the hills, one of Rakuten’s favorite places in Midohira.
“Anytime now…” she thought to herself, with a glow in her eyes.
By the time she had sprinted for about three loops, Rakuten started losing momentum. Depleted of breath, she stopped and tried to jump as high as she could. Unable to control her tired body, she fell flat on the ground, as the realization sunk in that Idiosyncrasy was a falsity that she was sold to her by Jill.
“You are indeed… a liar, Jill!” she muttered under her breath, as waves of pain ran down the backs Rakuten's thighs and the backs of her outstretched arms. She continued lying down, breathless.
“Why do you keep straining yourself, Raki, especially when you have our baby growing inside you? Do you want to hurt her?” a familiar voice of Rintaro approached her.
“Were you following me?” she asked.
“If me running after my pregnant partner, when I spot her running wild on the streets, is called following, then I was following you.” He said coldly. “Jizen said you will transform, eventually.” he said.
Still annoyed, Rakuten muttered under her breath, “Jizen is a liar. Her real name is Jill.”
“What are you talking about, Raki?” Rintaro asked, puzzled.
“Jill is the bad element from Earth. Idiosyncrasy was never meant to work for humans on Daikidageda. Jill persuaded us into using it, so that humans from Earth could perform experiments on us, and get stronger than their earlier selves.” Rakuten said hurriedly.
Rintaro laughed to dismiss her notion, “And who shared this knowledge with you, Raki?”
“A friend.” she said softly. “He is our savior. He dreams of the perfect society, like I do and I want to stand by him.”
“Stop blabbering, Raki!” Rintaro said as he helped her up. “Jizen is coming to meet us soon, along with her friends this time. Maybe she could help you transform, aren’t you excited?”
Rakuten saw a glimmer of hope when she heard Rintaro. “Does Haizaki need to know about Jill arriving here? Is this the real conscious sacrifice I must make?” she wondered. Rakuten shook her head. “I need to give her up, she is an imposter, an instigator of chaos. I may lose you, Rin, in the process - for the perfect society.“ Rakuten continued whispering lightly.
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