Déjà Vu (Part C)

A knock at the door roused him from deep sleep. The metal door's lock echoed as it opened, and Aleah entered with her professional demeanor.

"It's time to complete your body. Please come with me." she said formally and strode toward the corridor. The man followed, still shaking off traces of sleep.

Through maze-like corridors, they reached an infirmary filled with medical equipment. Red lights danced above the door before they entered. Aleah settled into the leather chair at the genetic encoder and expertly manipulated the controls. As special liquid drained from a transparent tank, she carefully extracted a mysterious purple sphere.

"You need to remove your clothes." she said professionally.

When the man hesitantly asked why, Aleah simply replied, "Standard procedure." After he undressed, she gently placed the purple sphere on his abdomen. An incredible transformation occurred—his cold, metallic body transformed into warm, soft human skin. Aleah promptly handed him specially prepared clothes, which he donned without thinking.

"These look like a uniform. What are they?" he asked curiously.

"An official uniform showing that you're in royal service."

Aleah offered him a crystal glass from the table containing sona he had tasted before. He took a thoughtful sip.

"What exactly did you do to my body?"

"You now have a completely normal human body. Our nanomachines are so advanced they can mimic real human tissues at the molecular level. You'll feel every sensation—pain, temperature, touch... In short, you'll experience everything an ordinary human does."

"Wouldn't it be more advantageous not to feel pain?"

Aleah smiled wisely. "Unfortunately, that's not an option. The more completely you experience being human, the more successful your mission will be."

The man finished his sona and stood, exploring his new body. Everything felt incredibly realistic as he moved. He could hardly believe he had just been metallic.

"It's quite disturbing how realistic this is." he muttered, carefully examining his skin. Each touch, every movement revealed the softness and flexibility of real human flesh.

"Not realistic—these are real. Perfect biological replication."

"Just because it's a perfect copy doesn't mean it's real."

"What's this? Have you become Nivara's chief philosopher now? Enough dawdling, we both have work to do. Zeta is waiting for you at the restaurant on the terrace."

The man nodded silently and left the room. An unsettling feeling crept over him, as if he had lived these moments before. This sense of déjà vu grew stronger with each passing second. He suspected it had some connection to the mysterious entity Geminga in his mind.

Two armed guards stood watch outside. Through complex corridors, security checks, and stairs, they reached the magnificent main hall. The guards escorted him to the luxury restaurant on the terrace, where Zeta waited impatiently at its grand entrance. At his gesture, they moved to an elegantly designed corner table. Crystal glasses and silver cutlery gleamed on the carefully prepared surface. To his left stretched a breathtaking view—a city silhouette reaching to the horizon, where tall buildings and dancing lights painted an urban masterpiece. For a moment, he lost himself in its grandeur.

"I know you want to talk business—this pleases me, as it shows we're getting returns on our investments." Zeta said with a sincere smile. "However, first I want to introduce you to our family's traditional breakfast. I've observed you and believe you're like me—someone who values efficiency and time. We need to finish quickly and focus on our responsibilities. Our specially developed Freintes technology lets you consume all necessary proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins at once."

A white-gloved waiter silently approached with a carefully prepared dish—traditional bread texture with purple sauce in a crystal bowl.

"Here's Freintes." Zeta said proudly, gesturing to the food. "Pour this special Frein sauce over the tes, and you get all needed nutrients within minutes. My family achieved something extraordinary with this technology—both practical and extremely effective."

As the man listened, discomfort rose within him. He believed eating was more than meeting nutritional needs. The breakfast ritual, the aroma of hot drinks, fresh bread's texture, savoring each bite—these experiences made mornings special. Moreover, breakfast offered time to think, plan, and prepare mentally. Yet in his situation, he had no choice but to accept this practical but soulless meal.

"I wanted to check what you were doing. So you're having a meal with this man—great opportunity, discuss our mission." said Geminga.

"I was going to do that anyway. Now that you've said it, I don't feel like doing it." the man replied internally with a slight sigh, his voice tinged with sarcasm and mild weariness. After consideration, he asked the inevitable question.

"Let's talk about my mission. What do you want from me? And what will you give in return?" he asked, taking a small bite while fixing Zeta with his gaze.

"I want you to bring back the Crown of Cintara." said Zeta. Determination sharpened his eyes like knives, every facial line emphasizing his request's importance.

"I definitely heard this somewhere... These recurring memories... I hate this feeling!" His voice trembled with anxiety.

"What are you talking about?" the man asked Geminga as his unease grew.

"Listen carefully to what he's telling you. Doesn't any of it sound familiar? Every word, every detail..."

Meanwhile, Zeta leaned forward, fingers interlocked, detailing everything he needed to know.

"It does sound familiar..." the man said as memory stirred within him. He listened silently, weighing each word.

After Zeta finished his detailed explanation, he leaned back, waiting patiently for a response.

"So I'll suffer unless I do what you say, is that right? And if I successfully complete this mission, you'll tell me more clearly about what happened to me, who I am?"

"Absolutely." Zeta's answer rang with finality.

"Seems I don't have any other choice. I'll go to Hatrugar." The man felt a strange acceptance settle over him.

"Excellent!" Zeta's face brightened with satisfaction. "Someone very special awaits you at the plaza entrance. Start your mission immediately after meeting them. Now if you'll excuse me, I have urgent matters." He rose with elegant precision, adjusting his dark suit.

The man stood too, requesting the guards outside to lead him to the plaza entrance. There he found an enormous crowd, notably including half-human, animal-like beings. As he surveyed his surroundings, a young girl with sea-blue scales and fish-like features approached excitedly.

"I am Eridanus Ran! It's truly a great honor to meet you, sir!" she said, extending her hand gracefully, eyes sparkling with genuine excitement.

"Are you the person I'm supposed to meet?" he asked, studying her carefully.

"Yes sir! Thanks to my outstanding exam performance, I earned the honor of working with you. With your permission, may I learn your name before we begin?"

"Geminga." he said briefly.

"Your name matches the greatest detective in history! What a coincidence! I'm truly delighted to meet you, sir. I can't wait to begin our mission!" Her orange eyes sparkled with joy, enthusiasm radiating from her face.

"Are you going to be my assistant or something?" he asked skeptically.

"I'm a senior student at the Royal Detective Department of the Veridian Academy of Occult Sciences, sir. I earned the highest internship exam score, which led to meeting Mr. Zeta personally. He directed me to you, describing you as his most talented detective."

"Zeta really does whatever he wants..." the man sighed. "Very well, you can come with me."

"Thank you very much, sir!" Ran excitedly donned white gloves and retrieved her notebook. "Where do we start our investigation, sir?"

"By going to Hatrugar." As he spoke, worry crossed his face as he realized he hadn't considered transportation. "I don't have any money. What's the fastest way there? I'll repay you double after Zeta pays me."

"We can reach it in two hours by Hyper Train, sir. It's everyone's preferred long-distance transport. Though tickets are expensive, its speed makes it popular. There's a station beside the plaza—I arrived here by it myself."

They navigated crowded, lively streets beneath modern buildings' shadows. Through dense foot traffic and bright storefronts, they reached the massive gates of an ultra-modern station. Its impressive architecture featured crystal chandeliers, interactive digital panels, and vast, airy halls housing thousands. Sunlight filtered through colored glass ceilings, dancing on marble floors.

The Hyper Train waited on the platform, dazzling with smooth aerodynamic lines in pure white. Its gleaming exterior coating, panoramic windows, and superconducting rails showcased advanced technology. After Ran paid twenty astralis per ticket, they entered the luxurious interior. Ergonomic leather seats welcomed them, complete with entertainment systems and climate controls.

The train glided almost weightlessly on superconducting rails. Its gentle, rhythmic motion, courtesy of advanced suspension, felt like a luxury massage chair. The comfortable environment and hypnotic rhythm soon lulled him to sleep. Ran's gentle nudge and polite whisper woke him as they neared their destination.

Their arrival station contrasted sharply with their departure point, appearing neglected and abandoned. Rust stains and peeling paint marked the metal structure's disuse. No other passengers disembarked, leaving them alone at a desolate crossroads amid wild vegetation. To their left, bright silver rails stretched endlessly toward the horizon; ahead, an old dirt path, worn and bush-covered, awaited silently. Abandonment cast a strange melancholy over everything.

They followed the path, their tired feet trudging through mud and rocks. Their shoes gathered mud, trouser cuffs dampening. A dense fog enveloped them, thick enough to touch, limiting visibility to ten meters. Occasional winds made the fog ripple before it wrapped around them again like a heavy curtain.

"Sir, I didn't want to disturb your sleep, but I must ask to prepare: what will we ask people when we arrive?" Ran asked softly.

"The question that will bring us closest to finding the crown." he answered tersely.

"You look like an ass from here." said Geminga. The man ignored this.

After twenty minutes' walk, a city's silhouette emerged through the fog. Buildings appeared among gray clouds, with vague shadows moving through streets. Another path branched left. At the city's entrance stood an intimidating wall of debris, covered in graffiti. Most prominent was the message "FUCK OFF, PEDALS!""

"Even in my hazy memories, there wasn't a place like this. I only remembered arriving at Hatrugar. Nothing seems familiar anymore." said Geminga.

"I am already confused, don't make it worse!"

They approached a man at a shop, leaning against a wooden counter, drinking from a handmade leather flask. His worn clothes and wrinkled, irritated face marked him as a local. He straightened slightly upon noticing them.

"Hello," said the man politely, stepping forward. "We've just arrived in Hatrugar and need help with important matters. Could you guide us around your city?"

"Who do you work for?" asked the local, his white eye scanning them suspiciously. A scar above it hinted at his difficult past.

"For the Kingdom."

"It's obvious you're new at this." said the man, pointing to the writing on the wall behind him. Written in bright paint were the words: "The only place fit for you is hell, not the kingdom!" "Choke on your own trash, Pedals!"

"Who are these Pedals that need to fuck off?" the man asked curiously.

"Sir... I believe that would be us," Ran said timidly.

"The girl's right, Pedal." said the man in a harsh tone. "If your lives are dear to you, fuck off." he went into his shop and slammed the door shut.

"What should we do now, sir? How should we proceed?" Ran asked worriedly.

"We'll improvise. As always, we'll act according to the situation." he replied confidently.

A hooded woman with eight spider eyes glided up like a shadow, speaking in a hoarse, unused voice.

"If you seek information, I know someone who can help. You can find anything in this city if you ask the right person."

"Are you that person? The one who can help us?" the man asked, studying her eyes.

"No, no, I'm just an intermediary." she smiled mysteriously. "I'll give you information and show how to purchase what you really need. All for just ten astralis!" Her fingers danced excitedly.

"Ran?" the man gave his assistant a meaningful look, knowing they had no other options.

When Ran produced the money without hesitation, the woman's spider eyes gleamed. She revealed that someone named Ainsley ran the Mist&Wind bar in the misty streets, providing detailed directions. After a long walk, they found the bar easily enough. Few customers occupied it, likely due to the morning hour.

The tired-looking bartender paused when they asked about Ainsley. "Ainsley only works nights," he said briefly. "Come back another time." They had no choice but to wait for nightfall.

To use the time, they explored outside, hoping to gather information. Their street inquiries proved futile—people either ignored them or departed with hostile looks. Without a watch, he estimated three in the afternoon from the cloud positions.

Turning into a narrow street, they suddenly faced fifteen people, including several tough-looking women, blocking their path. As the man sensed danger and tried to protect Ran by turning back, he noticed others had silently appeared behind them as well.

Without hesitation, he yanked Ran into the dark alley beside them. The light was already dim from the old, rusty metal bridges connecting the buildings, but here it vanished almost completely. The alley was as dark as night—and this darkness was their only hope.