Space station 7: Before the Meteor Ends
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******
On the skydeck during the Golden Hour.
Each time Firefly came here, she could momentarily escape the bustling city and find a brief moment of tranquility.
After appreciating the scenery as usual, Su Qing turned around. "Over these past few days, I've taken many new photographs."
"That day, when we saw our photo together, I realized what my previous pictures were lacking."
Curious, Firefly asked, "What was it?"
Su Qing summarized, "In essence, it's uniqueness."
"But why have you been constantly photographing me these days..." Firefly couldn't let go of the incident from red sand hour, "...can you delete that picture where I'm drunk?"
"Regarding this concept of uniqueness, where should I begin?"
"The photos! Delete them, please!" Firefly persisted adamantly.
That photo was too embarrassing; just thinking about Su Qing occasionally stumbling upon it filled her with shame.
"Ahem, let's discuss that later." Su Qing swiftly changed the subject, "As for why I've been photographing you, it's because my unique connection to this city stems from our interactions."
This remark indeed diverted Firefly's attention, "Oh wow, really?"
Su Qing continued, "The first photo I took in Penacony and the tour of the city were both guided by you, weren't they?"
Firefly nodded happily, "Indeed, they were."
The topic shift succeeded.
Su Qing began sharing his experiences over these past days, "Before, I merely documented Penacony as an observer, capturing only its surface."
He faced the skydeck view. "Just like observing from here above, one can take in Penacony's prosperity but not truly participate in it. Consequently, the photos taken remained superficial, no different from those captured by others."
"After seeing that group photo, I realized this issue - none of my previous photographs reflected my personal presence or perspective."
"Therefore, I decided to retrace my steps. This time, as tourists together, we immersed ourselves in Penacony's numerous Dreamscape experiences. As expected, the photos from this journey deeply captured the essence of each Dreamscape and conveyed unique perspectives being within them."
"I see." Firefly now grasped Su Qing's intention, "But you still haven't explained why you took pictures of me? Just because I was the first person you encountered, did you feel compelled to include me?"
"No." Su Qing shook his head, "It's because in my heart, you embody the most authentic expression of a Dream Chaser."
"Beyond being the first encounter," Su Qing looked at her, "you were also the most vivid, resilient, and beautiful Dream Chaser I've met since arriving in Penacony. To my journey here, you represent the most exceptional scenery, naturally deserving to be documented."
[Stelle: What just happened?]
[Stelle: Did he suddenly switch to direct mode? Where's my bat?! How am I supposed to handle this pitch?!]
[March 7th: (shocked) How can he say such unabashedly straightforward compliments without any embarrassment?]
[Himeko: Perhaps he believes he's merely discussing work.]
[Himeko: Would you feel embarrassed reading out your job description or a research paper presentation?]
[March 7th: I don't know it, never read that one.]
[Himeko: ...You're quite lucky.]
Firefly opened her mouth to respond but was instantly silenced by the barrage of "most" descriptors.
After spending over a month together, she understood Su Qing's character well enough to know he didn't mean it literally.
Nevertheless, Firefly couldn't help but feel her cheeks warm up, and unconsciously, her right hand clenched at the edge of her clothing by her side.
"So,"
Su Qing turned towards her, taking a step closer, and looked intently into her eyes.
Firefly's heart skipped a beat; she wanted to retreat but managed to hold herself back.
No, no...
She gazed at Su Qing.
With such a serious expression, you might lead me astray...
And then there were those meteors...
Out of the corner of her eye, Firefly noticed shooting stars streaking across the sky.
Why must there be such perfectly timed meteor showers?!
On the skydeck, under falling meteors, amidst serene silence with only two people present, expressing heartfelt sentiments...
I can't be blamed for this, really! My mind is bound to wander!
Su Qing, having gathered his thoughts, earnestly spoke, "So, don't stop now. We must find The Watchmaker's legacy and fulfill your dream!"
Firefly held her breath, feeling as if her heart skipped a beat.
Quickly regaining her composure, she nodded vigorously, "Yes! Absolutely! Let's not give up! Keep pursuing our dreams! We will definitely succeed!"
"Uh-huh! Right! That's the spirit!" Su Qing was delighted by Firefly's determination.
He genuinely hoped that Firefly would find The Watchmaker's legacy and be cured of Entropy Disorder.
After all they had experienced together, he and Firefly had become...
[March 7th: Already?]
Already friends, of course!
[March 7th: I've been #%$@! waiting so long, and you, wooden-head Su Qing, deliver this?! #%&(intensely frustrated)]
[Sparkle: Laughing.]
[Silver Wolf: Chuckling.]
[Stelle: March 7th, please calm down.]
***
***
The meteor shower streaked across the sky.
Such a magnificent display of meteors was rare.
Adjusting their moods and recovering from the earlier misunderstanding, Firefly and Su Qing sat together, making wishes upon the shooting stars.
A moment of silence followed as both made their wishes.
Firefly glanced to her right. "What was your wish?"
Su Qing lifted his camera and waved it. "To capture even better photos."
"Figures," Firefly replied with a smile.
In turn, Su Qing asked, "And what about your wish? The Watchmaker's legacy?"
Firefly shook her head. "Such things can't be granted by meteors; they still require one's own efforts."
"Indeed," Su Qing agreed. "So, what was your wish?"
"Hmm, well, this might need some cooperation from you..."
Gently, Firefly took a step closer to him.
As the meteor streaked across the sky just moments ago, Firefly had pondered deeply.
Wishes embody beautiful aspirations, and her thoughts gradually centered on the person beside her.
She had imagined, if only there could be a more suitable time, a more fitting circumstance—
Without the burden of Entropy Disorder or any other hindrances...
Could she then move beyond these passive misunderstandings? Would she have the chance to actively nurture the hazy feelings taking shape within her heart?
No.
Such wishes, akin to desiring The Watchmaker's legacy, were overly greedy and could not be fulfilled by merely wishing upon a meteor.
In the end, Firefly chose a simpler wish—one that she hoped the meteor might assist with.
As Su Qing watched Firefly approach, he felt puzzled.
Suddenly, there was a gentle weight before him. He looked down to see Firefly stepping closer and leaning into his embrace.
Her soft warmth and delicate fragrance enveloped him instantly.
Su Qing froze, unsure of what to do.
"Could you hold me until the meteors stop?" she whispered softly.
Her gentle words, warm body, tender feelings, and a request hard to refuse all combined.
Firefly's cheek resting against him made his chest feel ticklish, as if their roles from earlier had reversed.
Now it was Su Qing who opened his mouth, uncertain what to say. After a moment of indecision, he simply lowered his arms and gently embraced the girl in his hold.
A similar situation had occurred before in the primitive Dream realm, but at that time, their focus was entirely on the impending danger.
Only now, holding her quietly like this, did Su Qing truly notice how petite Firefly was. She seemed fragile, like some precious and exquisite treasure, making him hesitant to hold her too tightly.
She felt like a delicate and precious treasure; Su Qing hesitated to hold her too tightly.
Moreover, Firefly had a captivating girlish charm, with every expression exuding a lively allure. Su Qing had deeply appreciated this while photographing her over these past days.
Yet, observing her from the side was entirely different from embracing her in his arms. It was akin to truly possessing a piece of beauty within reach.
As meteors streaked across the sky, they punctuated the silence.
Time seemed to stand still.
Finally, after the last star fell, despite her reluctance, Firefly slowly released her embrace.
Within his arms, she looked up and noticed Su Qing's somewhat stiff demeanor. This intrigued her, as it was usually herself who appeared flustered—now the roles were reversed.
However, she knew her own expression couldn't have been particularly composed either.
So, Firefly lowered her head, took a few steps back, turned towards Penacony, and took deep breaths to compose her emotions and expression.
Then, placing her hands behind her back, she turned around with a smile, "Alright, my wish has come true now~"
Two months can feel brief, and a week passes in the blink of an eye.
But for creating a beautiful dream within Penacony, it was more than enough. After this embrace, she felt deeply content.
In Su Qing's arms lingered the warmth from moments ago. As he gazed at the girl's smile, his mind involuntarily recalled the annotation to the famous Robin song:
"If I can ease one heart from sorrow, I shall not have lived in vain."
"If I can relieve one life of pain, Or help one fainting robin back to its nest again,
I shall not have lived in vain."
Each simulation represents one lifetime.
Su Qing realized that beyond taking photographs, during this simulation, he had done something truly meaningful.
The scene before him was breathtakingly beautiful—stars and theaters, a bustling cityscape, and a lovely yet resilient girl.
He instinctively raised his camera. This time, without focusing on composition, he simply captured the moment with utmost fidelity.
Returning to the initial question:
What is Penacony to him?
Is it a place bearing both joy and sorrow, or simply the girl standing before him?
Perhaps it encompasses both.
As the printer hummed, signaling the end of this simulation, the scene gradually faded away.
[Simulation ended.]
[Within the live broadcast room, the screen gradually darkened, and "Freeing a Heart from Sorrow" began playing softly.]
[Everyone fell silent for a moment, savoring the ending.]
[After some time passed:]
March 7th: Hmmmphhhaaaaahhh!!
March 7th: How could it end already?
March 7th: Nooo, Su Qing just started to catch on. I wanted more of their sweet daily moments with Firefly!
Black Swan: Actually...
Black Swan: If the simulation had continued further, predicting what would happen next becomes uncertain.
March 7th: What do you mean?
Sparkle: "Your bond continues to deepen, but ultimately, the Entropy Disorder remains incurable. You can only watch as she slowly deteriorates. Eventually, one day, while holding her, she gradually fades away in your arms, leaving you powerless."
Sparkle: That's another possible outcome, mind you.
March 7th: Gah! Are you a devil?!
March 7th: What turned you into this?!
Firefly: (trembling)
Stelle: Well, well, well.
Stelle: But since Firefly is still watching the simulation with us, it means she's alright.
Black Swan: Yes, in reality, they will meet again eventually. Personally, I quite like endings that carry a subtle sense of regret yet achieve a form of fulfillment.
March 7th: Even so, Su Qing keeps fixating on taking photos of her; their romantic development feels insufficient.
[Himeko: Su Qing proved remarkably reliable at several critical moments. Despite being somewhat dense, Firefly still holds him in high regard.]
[Himeko: And during that final embrace, didn't Su Qing seem to realize something?]
[Seele: Did he really? In the end, he still chose to conclude with photographs...]
[Bronya: After seeing that week-long dream journey, I also want to visit Penacony...]
[Stelle: By the way, if you picked the 'Keen Senses' talent at the start, could you have avoided those dangers...?]
The discussion about the simulation continued for some time.
Until...
[Black Swan: As a wrap-up for this first simulation, let's interview Miss Firefly.]
[Firefly was still immersed in the simulation's ending.]
[Black Swan: @Firefly]
Firefly glanced at the comments and realized, "There's such a segment?"
[March 7th: Welcome, welcome!]
[Stelle: A warm welcome (clapping enthusiastically) (hands over microphone symbol)]
[Himeko: These two are truly the life of the party.]
[Black Swan: Don't be nervous. You can enable voice chat and just share your genuine feelings.]
[Firefly: Okay (activates voice chat). Let me think, my feelings...]
[Firefly: If I had to describe it initially, it was overwhelming confusion. Seeing myself within the live stream felt both novel and strange.]
[Firefly: Then... as the simulation progressed, I gradually recalled some memories and became fully immersed.]
[Stelle: The strength returned, but just a little.]
[March 7th: @Stelle, don't be a troublemaker!]
[Firefly: When seeing "myself" running, it brought me immense joy.]
[Firefly: Whenever witnessing moments of danger, I found myself unconsciously gripping my phone tighter.]
[Firefly: During the Blues segment, dancing with Su Qing on the cruise ship, it felt like reliving the sweetness and happiness of that beautiful dream once more.]
[Firefly: Especially at the end, during the embrace...(suddenly realizing)]
[Firefly: Never mind, let's skip that part.]
[March 7th: No way! Tell us, we've been waiting to hear about this.]
[Bronya: Yeah, yeah, share away!]
[Firefly: Uh...]
[Firefly: Alright, briefly then...]
[Firefly: My heart was racing so fast; I wonder if Su Qing could hear it when we embraced. Additionally, there was a deep reluctance to let go; I wished the meteor moment would last longer.]
[Firefly: Oh, and when Su Qing held me, for an instant, I felt a tingling sensation. It's hard to describe, but it was incredibly comforting. Throughout the rest of our embrace, I wanted to hold him tightly, savoring that feeling even more...]
[Stelle: Wow! Firefly, you're really being honest here, aren't you?]
[Himeko: Sounds like quite an embrace.]
[Bronya: Sharing these moments is always just! Keep them coming! I love hearing more!]
[March 7th: Alright, alright, got some good gossip here—but also feeling a bit outshined!]
[Firefly: W-well, regardless! Even though everyone saw my embarrassing past, reliving these experiences was absolutely worth it.]
[Firefly: It's been an incredible journey; thank you, @Black Swan.]
[Black Swan: You're welcome. Being able to witness these precious memories has brought me great satisfaction too.]
[Silver Wolf: @Firefly, I understand what you mean.]
[Silver Wolf: After playing some truly exceptional games, I often wish I could reset my memory so I could experience them anew.]
[Firefly: Yes, that's exactly how it feels.]
[Firefly: However...]
[Firefly: Those embarrassing moments! I really hope everyone forgets about them soon!]
[Stelle: Which embarrassing moments? Spill the details.]
[March 7th: Is it pretending to treat us while secretly drooling over the food?]
[Stelle: Or getting caught taking sneaky photos and becoming the center of attention?]
[March 7th: Maybe it's your tipsy, dazed appearance after drinking?]
[Stelle: Or panicking when thinking someone was going to confess?]
[Firefly (lowering their head): That's...]]
[Stelle (leaning closer): And?]
[Firefly: Yes, I will ignite the seas!]
[Stelle: Ribbit!]
[Stelle: It's a supernova explosion! March 7th, run for it!]
[Boom, boom, boom—faint sounds of mecha engines roaring and explosions echoed from Firefly's audio feed, indicating a chaotic scene.]
[Himeko: ...]
[Himeko: So remember, don't always think about bullying fragile-looking, pretty girls; they might just turn the tables on you.]
[Black Swan: Any incidents outside this live stream are not our responsibility, oh~]
[Black Swan: Now then, does Firefly have anything else to say?]
[Firefly: Yes!]
[Firefly: I hope we can quickly move on to the next simulation! That way, everyone won't keep teasing me!]
[Black Swan: Good idea.]
[Black Swan: Let me see... The next simulation can be summarized as Kafka's Development Plan.]
[Himeko: Who?]
[Kafka: Me?]
[Stelle: Mom!]
[Herta: Which mom are you calling?]
[Silver Wolf: These chat messages above me are hard to resist laughing at.]
[March 7th: Speaking of this title, is it about being nurtured by Kafka or nurturing Kafka?]
[Stelle: Well, obviously being nurtured by Mama Kafka...]
[Black Swan: Seems more like nurturing Kafka.]
[Stelle: Ah???]
***
Time: After the simulation ends.
Upon waking up, Penacony and Firefly gazed at the city before them, but their thoughts were entirely elsewhere.
Their last memories were still on the skydeck.
With some uncertainty, Firefly pinched her own face.
Could everything that just happened have been... merely a dream within a dream?