INTERMISSION 1: WISH UPON A STAR
(This takes place in present day, from Abien's perspective)
I was lying on hard, solid ground.
But, also, I was floating in shallow water.
But, also, I wasn't anywhere at all.
I slowly opened my eyes, although they remained closed. It was too bright to see, so I was glad I had kept them closed. I could see clearly, because the amount of light was the same as on an overcast day. It was so dark, I couldn't tell if I had opened my eyes at all.
Everything was like this; my every emotion, stimulus, experience was trapped in superposition. I had never felt anything like this before, but it wasn't as bad as I might've expected. It left me slightly nauseous and foggy, but not much else. Strangely, this reaction was the only non-contradictory thing I could feel.
It didn't take long for me to figure out what was happening; in fact, I got it right on the first guess. However, I still spent several minutes denying it; it shouldn't have been possible, after all.
I can't dream... Aliens can't dream. And yet...
Almost immediately after I finally stopped denying it, I realized that someone was cradling my head, and had been for some time. It felt like she was wearing gloves, and yet I could still tell that her hands were familiar.
I couldn't see her face, but I could see a light shining from where it would've been.
I couldn't move, but I didn't really want to, either.
"...There's not much time left. It's been a while since I last saw anyone, so I wasted so much of what little time we had remembering what it was like to speak... You don't have to say anything. You don't have to remember anything, either. You couldn't, even if you tried. No one remembers their dreams."
She shifted her right hand to block my sight.
"Just listen. If you can do that, then you won't have to remember my words."
"Just this... just this is what I have to say to you: you came to Earth for a reason, right? You couldn't continue The Game normally anymore... you hoped this would kickstart the person you used to be. But you can't do that, and you shouldn't. That feeling, that something wasn't right? Hold onto it; it will lead you where you need to go. Once you find that place... you'll be able to end this Game."
I began to feel lightheaded(or, at least, lightheaded compared to how I already felt). We both knew what was happening, instinctively; the dream was ending.
"I had hoped to say more, but I have nothing left. All I can give you now is the promise that this will all make sense one day."
"It will all make sense, so long as you find Ec-"
I suddenly jolted upwards, leaned over, and retched; I was coughing out moon dust. At some point, I had woken up; I guess I had slept with my mouth open, because my throat was coated in moon dust.
When I was done, I tried to get me bearings; I was still here, of course, in the place I had gone when I....
I had gone to the moon; I didn't have anywhere else to be, so a place where I could be alone was all I had looked for. For that purpose, there was no better place.
I looked towards Earth. I traced the landmasses until I found Eternia... then I looked away.
I had already spent too much time here; I may not have had anything left to say or do, but I still should've left ages ago.
For some reason, I couldn't shake that feeling that I had a responsibility to leave. If I didn't know better, I would've thought that I had somehow come to some resolution while I had slept, but I knew that couldn't be true. Aliens can't dream, and I had no memory of a dream where I might've decided on some course of action... But I still couldn't shake the feeling I had somewhere to be.
I turned in the direction where my ship was.
I started walking towards it.
