The First Step

A bright day marked the beginning of Prince's next quest: to communicate. Having not spoken for months, it was essential for him to start speaking again, as the first part of his training in Merey. Merey was a building where organisms from different planets came to study and train, becoming a necessity when one or more planets faced a common threat. Currently, Cela had four Mereys, the only known Mereys in Universe 9.

Grein, Genep, and Ideyl had left Cela to complete their next tasks, while Twel and Sako had also departed to visit their families after a long time. Now, Prince was under the guidance of Vaikho, the woman who welcomed them last night. Though she appeared tough on the outside, people said she had a soft side, though she barely showed it to anyone. Grein was one of the few who had experienced her gentler side.

Vaikho addressed Prince politely at first, "Prince, what is your name?"

Prince remained silent.

Her voice grew louder, "Prince, what is your name?"

Still, Prince was quiet.

She then asked him angrily, "Prince, what is your name?"

Afraid but still silent, Prince stood his ground. Vaikho was about to hit him when a girl intervened, stopping her. "Mam, wait. He needs time, I guess," the girl said.

Vaikho replied, "You know we don't have much time. If he doesn't recover fast, it might cost us."

The girl responded, "Yes, mam. Let me handle this. You should attend to other necessary work."

Vaikho sighed, "Okay, but try to do it soon." She walked away, still irritated.

The girl turned to Prince with a gentle smile. "Please don't mind her. Even behind her scolding, there's a good intention. I know you're not in a position to go through all this, but it's important for you, me, and everyone here to improve ourselves fast. We never know when danger might come."

She wore a sparkling pendant that caught the light beautifully. "For now, I will be your trainer. Making you speak will be our first task. You know communication is crucial during teamwork. Let me introduce myself first. My name is Karry from Geny moon of Jery planet in our universe. I won't force you to speak, but can we talk?"

Prince nodded in agreement.

They used a device to chat through for hours – two, three, then four hours passed. Both of them were happier now, having gotten to know each other well.

Suddenly, Vaikho returned and asked Karry, "How is he doing?"

Karry replied, "He talks with me. He is really good in conversation and funny too."

Vaikho was shocked, looking both angry and pleased. She asked, "But why didn't he answer me?"

Karry explained, "Sorry to say, mam, but he said he doesn't answer unnecessary questions. He speaks only when necessary."

Vaikho was surprised, "Huh, whatever. You will continue your training with him. I trust you."

Later, Karry and Prince hung out outside the Merey. Area 7 was filled with beautiful places to visit. Prince felt happy with her company. They played games, enjoyed food, watched cultural events, and finally witnessed the sparkling bright lights at night. This was Prince's second time witnessing the scene, but now he saw it up close. The lights shot from the ground, touching the sky – these were actually ice geysers of Cela, making it one of the safest moons in the universe. Prince had never seen it so closely before and was mesmerized.

As they watched, Karry's pendant sparkled even more. It was a beautiful memory for Prince, who finally spoke in a low voice with a smile, "Thank you."

Karry smiled back at him. "You're welcome, Prince. You know, you're stronger than you think."

Prince looked thoughtful. "I hope so. It feels good to have someone to talk to."

Karry nodded. "We're all here to support you. We're in this together."