✴

The idea of entering the æther fills you with overwhelming curiosity.

“Let’s go together.” You look over at Zeta.

“Can you see me Aydan?” Zeta signs to you.

Warm, you answer.

Your hand moves. You sign, “Yes.”

“I’m watching over you both, don’t worry,” it signs.

You drink your dose quickly. It tastes half terrible and half nothing.

You get a little lost in a blinking light across the room. You become that for a little while. These things happen.

Once you refocus yourself, you’re slipping away again. You lie down in your corner, Zeta sitting by you, watching over.

The descent is a spiral of water, melting off of metal, and turning into stars. Bright stars cluster together in the water, forming two little Earth fishes. At the center, a bright circle, the Moon. Just before they reach it they join together. They are one.

The blurry, flickering stars line your space in their familiar server pattern. It’s the æther, but not like you’ve ever seen it before. In front of you is a you, an Aydan, you remember what that is. It’s cute. You reach out your Akiko hand, and the Aydan takes it. Her eyes glow green. His hand melts into yours. They’re falling. You’re falling up into the ætherglow above, and you are one.

This ætherspace takes shape around you. Stars of purple and red and blue circle the walls here, tracing geometric patterns in a rhythmic dance. The whole space has rhythm to it. You don’t hear it but you can feel it deep within you. This space is a song. The glow beyond the walls is warm.