Sananara

Source: https://twitter.com/KW7MD8FEWT7lMXx/status/1546759566896930817

“Everything you can perceive and more. Every glint, spark, glitter, a possibility. Isn’t that kinda sweet Kronini? Kinda like a fairytale, right?” Her soft, upbeat, and gentle voice lending my tired mind a moment of respite.

“It’s silent. Dead quiet. Sound doesn’t travel in space. But I like to think…if you listen just closely enough, you can hear those stars shine. And that fills me with all of the joy in the universe.” Beaming brightly up towards the heavens, the stars that fill the universe that fill her with joy.

"But…you can't live in a fairytale forever" Her gaze shifts from the stars and falls onto me. The weight of those words are heavy, far to heavy for just one person. Be her Space or not.

“Sana…what are you saying?” I stare back at her, her face ever the picture of confidence. A boastful smile from ear to ear, bangs just hovering over her eyebrows, her radiant glow in the light of the setting sun.

“I’m saying it’s time for me to move on. My job is done.” For the first time, I heard her tone drop, her voice quiet, her smile vanish. She was serious. This was a decision she’d already decided. However long ago I am not certain, but there was conviction in those words. To turn her character around so much…

I hear the sniffling behind me. I guess we all braced ourselves for something like this. A council meeting at this hour? Called by Sana herself? Something was definitely amiss for the week and the dread that encroached within all of us was no welcome feeling. A shadow always hanging over our shoulders… Nonetheless, we all carried on, doing our day-to-day work.

“How long has it been Kronini? How many eons did we fight? How many galaxies did we traverse? How many memories did we create? How long have we been friends? I suppose you eventually beat me Kronini! I became oblivious to time…my time here with you all.” Her somber expression paint over her face, it chills me. She doesn’t want it, she knows she doesn’t, and yet…

“Ahhh it’s really been a while…. a good long while for not just us, the rest of council too. Lifelong friends, right? Even if we all kinda…live an exceptionally long time. But we all knew this was going to happen. I’m SPACE! SPACE IS BEEG!” She says as much, but the smile is yet to return.

“No! It’s selfish Sana! We are the council! It’s what we agreed on!” Bae erupts from behind me, running up to Sana and pointing her finger at the other’s face. I feel like I should stop her, let Sana be sent off with smiles but…I can’t deny it either. I don’t want her leaving. None of us want this.

“Bae…” Sana pushes Bae’s finger away from her, sighing deeply as she does so.

“No! Don’t “Bae” me! We agreed! We are the council! The world administrators! How can you just…leave?” The fire of her spirit fades, perhaps she’s realized her behaviour and toned things down a bit. I glance back at both Fauna and Mumei, still frozen by the knowledge they’ve discovered.

“Bae, it’s time. It’s what I decided is best. Believe me, it wasn’t an easy decision. I spent months agonizing over my choices. In the end however, this is what I chose.” Her voice shakes, it’s almost unbelievable that this is Sana. We all got busy, started working on our own things. Seeing each other less and less…but…even so…

“YOU DECIDED?! YOU?! I am the one gifted with the power to govern! Ordained by the gods themselves! You think you the right to…”
“Stop!” An airy, but firm voice calls out. The situation enough to move Fauna from her ever dignified stance

“Stop what?!” Bae fires back. Now the both of them are on the receiving end of her rage.

“It’s Sana’s choice Bae! She has fulfilled her duty. Her job is complete.” Fauna says…pleads to Bae. Her face is firm, determined, her words honest. I don’t know if she’s fighting back any more tears, but Fauna is at her friend’s defense.

“Of course you pick her! She’d be nothing without you! A lot of textures and principles that spill out into disorder! AND you’d be nothing without Kronii! Time facilitates the growth of nature! And Kronii would be nothing without Mumei!” Bae’s response is loud, uncomfortable, and true. Our greatest weakness is that we all form some matter of dependency on one another. All of us except her. Bae’s scalding words sends shock into all of us but, it’s the strength of her passion. The truth of her feelings and the depth of her care and consideration. She knows probably more than any of us, the gravity of Sana’s decision, and doesn’t want to give her friend up.

The reignited passion seems to cool down with the advent of the tears that pour down her face. The trails left behind by her heart tell us as much as her words. Her hands in fists, squeezing them with all her might. Bae’s passion has been ever admirable. She’s grown so much; I’d tell her I was proud of her, were it not for the situation we’re currently in.

“Scilicet why we’re ALL on the council. We work together. We are a team!” Mumei shows up to Fauna’s side and shares her own words. A powerful response to the harsh scorn of Bae's passion.

“Those were the days of promises and vows—of tentative first steps into an uncertain future. A new start that we all decided to travel towards. Orrrr something along those lines, right guys? C’mon, it doesn’t have to be like this! Bae…we all knew this day was coming. We all knew Sana’s work would finish long before ours…” Pensive as we all are, Mumei’s words ring with truth. Nothing but the truth escape her mouth and yet, each word another dagger in our hearts, digging deeper than the previous.

“With everything we had accomplished, every trial we overcame, every adventure we journeyed across the lands, seas and skies, how could I not miss you all as well. And the evidence of our work all around us. A planet that finally fit every single one of our designs. Lands that stretch across all corners of the world, full of flora and fauna that grew and evolved, that fed and clothed and sheltered civilizations for thousands of years, for those people who continue to grow and grow, ever looking to the skies, scattered, glinting, sparkling and glittering, full of beacons of hope and inspiration. The nights, the mornings, the days, the stars, the dreams, the summers, the winters, the time, the winds, the waters, the earth and the sky itself…We did it. To see them smile. To see all of you smile. Be this not the goal? All of our goals? As the gods intended for us? My duty is complete. It’s just how things ended up.” The chill of the air draws silence from each of us. Again and again we face these words and yet, none of us are willing to hear it.

“I love all of your works. All of your ups and downs that make this world worth living in. To so inspire life, to move progress forward. Don’t send me away with your tears. Hit me with your smiles. If you ever feel lonely, you but have to look up to the skies.” The final tears fallen from the other girls faces, half smiles that meet up with Sana's, making whole ones for her goodbye. She comes up to each of us, patting our heads and looking for some in return. She takes an extra moment with Bae, maybe she's apologizing for her behaviour. Not that Sana would've minded it all that much. We all do it, without the weight of the situation tugging down at our hearts. And she walk away, up to the edge of the overview. A full moon bursting with radiance and beauty stare at us all as the night deepens. She sits down and stares at it. Mumei quickly follows and I walk over too. Fauna and Bae come after us and we sit in a scene of serenity. Oh if it could last forever, I'd sit with my friends until the end of time...

And as the moon crossed the sky we talked and talked. Of times long past and gone. Of stories yesteryear that had us howling like wolves. Of tales of triumph and failure. Of ourselves and each other. And after all the laughter had quieted and the final sigh sighed, Sana picked herself up. Slowly, we each followed.

"Infinity sounds good to me. What about you guys?" She stares at me, that gentle smile back on her face. I look at the other girls and they all nod.

"Looks like we're all in agreement man." I smile back. "Yeah. Yeah it does sound good."

Leaping into the air, tearing herself away from the boundary of gravity she waves. We wave back as she floats into the night sky, stars behind her shine in each of our representative colours. The universe is fun now.

"Ya better visit sometime ya hear!"

"Farewell Sana, we'll always be waiting."

"Bye Sana, don't be a stranger."

"See ya around, Astrogirl."