Half-Humans

When he arrived at the Plaza entrance, he froze at the sight before him. Thousands waited patiently in line at the magnificent entrance—but this was no ordinary crowd. Extraordinary beings, different from humans, stood out among them.

Lost in his wonderment, he was approached by a young woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. She ran up breathlessly, elegantly sweeping back her ocean-deep blue hair as she fixed him with warm orange eyes and a sincere smile.

"I'm Eridanus Ran! It's a great honor to meet you, sir!" she said, extending her hand politely.

She was like a sea creature given human form. Though mostly humanoid, she possessed features of magnificent marine life: hands adorned with shimmering fins, delicate gills along her neck, pearl-like scales covering her body, ears that resembled ocean waves, and an elegantly extending tail—creating a mesmerizing sight.

The man extended his hand with slight hesitation. The touch of Ran's wet, scaly hands gave him a strange sensation he'd never experienced before. It was his first time shaking hands with a sea person. Looking more carefully around him, he was amazed: people with magnificent bird wings, others with lion manes and fur, some with shark-like grace, and yet others adorned with colorful insect features. It was as if all of nature's magnificent creatures had taken human form. Most surprising was how ordinary humans accepted this extraordinary sight as perfectly natural.

"Are you the person I'm supposed to meet?" the man asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

"Yes sir, that's me! Thanks to my success in the exam, I earned the honor of working with you. With your permission, may I learn your name?"

The man gave a heartfelt thank you to the young guards who had escorted them and told them they could leave. After they departed, just as he was about to say "I don't know my name." Geminga interrupted. "Repeat what I say." he instructed.

"Due to the sensitive nature of our mission, I need to use a secret identity. You may respectfully address me as Geminga..." he said, trying to mask his uncertainty.

"Perhaps she knows something about me. Besides, this way you won't have to lie about your missing memory." said Geminga and fell silent.

"Geminga... Master Geminga... What an impressive choice, sir! If you'll permit me, could I take the name Ain?"

"Who's Ain?"

"Why, the loyal assistant of the greatest detective in history, of course!"

"Ah... I think you'd better stay as Ran. But I have something to ask you. These beings—these half-humans—what exactly are they?" he asked, gesturing to the unusual crowd.

"Humans." Ran replied simply.

"No, I mean the ones with animal features."

"Sir, this is quite a sensitive matter. Such terminology might not be appropriate."

"I'm sorry! I'm only asking because I don't know. I've never encountered anything like this before."

"Different races coexist in every corner of Equina. Lotiana, in particular, is a safe haven for communities seeking protection from discrimination. Here, we're all seen as equal individuals, just like you. Some call us 'half-humans,' a term I really dislike, sir."

"I truly meant no offense. Where I'm from—at least according to my memory—we didn't have such remarkable diversity.""

"Don't worry, sir! I'd love to provide you with detailed information about our society during our time together! Now, where would you like to begin our investigation?" She put on her gloves and carefully took out a notebook and pen from her backpack.

"Well, look at that, trying to get detective lessons from you. Alright then, detective, we're listening." said Geminga, with obvious sarcasm.

"Hmm..." he mumbled thoughtfully.

"I'm afraid I don't have a computer chip or note tablet on me, sir. I prefer traditional methods." said Ran, noticing his puzzled looks.

"No, no, that's fine. Work however you like. We can handle this without technological tools..." he said hesitantly. It was clear he was trying to buy time to think. Then suddenly, he added in a decisive voice: "We're going to Hatrugar!"

"Brilliant idea!" Ran exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Ran... I'm actually unfamiliar with this area. How can we get to Hatrugar?"

"I can offer you several options: We can rent a car, take the Hyper Train, or use the fastest option, the SPA."

"The SPA?"

"Space-Powered Aircraft. It's incredibly fast—we'll be at our destination in minutes."

As he considered the options, he realized a serious limitation: he didn't have a single coin in his pocket. He didn't even know the currency used in this world, though he could guess none of these transportation options would be free.

"Ran, I'm sorry but I don't have any money."

"Do you know anyone who could help us?"

"Unfortunately not."

"No problem sir, I have some money with me. We could rent a car if you'd like."

He was grateful his memory at least recognized the word 'car.'

"Do you need anything special to drive a car?"

"Yes, a license is required."

"Do you have a license?"

"No, unfortunately. But we could take the bus if you'd like? The journey takes two days, but we can use that time to get to know you better!"

"Then let's take the bus. I'll repay you at the first opportunity." he said, following her.

"Please don't worry about it, sir! I'm not worried at all."

Together, they walked through lively streets filled with humans and different races. He couldn't tell if this extraordinary crowd was normal or if they had happened upon a special occasion. The only thing he could discern was that everyone seemed at peace. Yet this peaceful scene stirred an inexplicable sadness within him.

"Why are they gone?" echoed a melancholic voice in his mind.

"Who's that?" asked Geminga uneasily, hearing the voice.

"I don't know. I hear these voices occasionally. Always lamenting about someone's absence. Probably another presence forcibly planted in my mind, like you."

After an hour's walk—during which Ran talked constantly, though he couldn't properly listen as he tried to suppress the voices in his mind—they reached the bus station. They boarded after tasting an exotic ice cream-like snack Ran offered.

During the two-day journey, Ran continuously tried to make conversation and ask questions. However, he avoided talking by claiming fatigue, as he couldn't comprehend most of what she was telling him. Despite numerous stops during this long journey, they finally arrived at Hatrugar.