Chapter 17:
To The Green Lake
Finally, we arrived at the Green Lake. Even without Lottie's happy "Destination reached", I would have known.
Before my eyes stretched the lake, surrounded by green hills and the forest that stretched out beyond the horizon. The water was a rich, deep turquoise, clear enough that I could see the fish flitting around when I zoomed in. The sun glittered on the small waves on top of it.
"We're here," I muttered.
It was strange. There was no describing what it was that I felt - like my soul was lit up, filled with sunlight and summer-warmed air. I turned around to Emelyse, who nodded, and wrote something down on her device.
"We're here," she echoed. "You made it."
I shook my head. "No, we made it."
Without her, I would have gotten this far. I might have used a port, or just abandoned Lottie after a day or two. I knew that it was her company that helped me through all the hardships - even though I had learned to appreciate Lottie more, as well.
"Let's take a look around," I said.
There was still time until Lottie had to be scrapped and recycled. I wanted a proper goodbye. No, if I was being honest, I didn't want to say goodbye. I wished this journey would never end. But we stopped on a small parking lot close to the lake, with the travel pod shop already in sight.
"We have to go in there, right?" Emelyse said.
"Later," I muttered. "Let's look at the lake first."
It truly felt like we deserved the view. I was exhausted, but I couldn't stop smiling.
It was great, and grand, and wonderful. The air was fresh and sweeter than anything else on this journey, and the sunshine both gentle and revitalizing. To my feet, the little bots crawled around, scanning the parking lot, cleaning the space and taking care of Lottie.
Lottie.
There she stood in all her bright orange glory. The pod had brought me here, even though it was old and crappy and uncomfortable. On the other hand, it really had become something of a second home this past week, with all those fond memories now flashing by.
I gently touched Lottie's outer form, and let out a sigh. It was hard, saying goodbye to this piece of junk. I never guessed it would be this hard.
"Enjoy the scenery!" Lottie said.
"Thanks."
It would only delay the inevitable. But I walked to Emelyse, who was looking out onto the lake. She turned around when she sensed my presence.
"I told the guards my location," she said. "They will be here soon."
"Oh."
Another goodbye. How quickly could our adventure come to an end? It stung, bad enough that tears started to form. Once again, I felt the impulse to run away. To just not say goodbye, and stay in the in-between forever. But I didn't.
"We'll stay in contact, right?"
I couldn't keep a hint of doubt out of my voice. Surely, Em could hear it.
"Of course." She reached out, and squeezed my hands. "You are my friend."
"Thank you. I... You, too."
I couldn't find the right words, and my voice threatened to betray me even more. This was hard. Almost too much.
But only almost. Somehow, in only a few days, it felt like my life - myself - had changed a lot. I could smile, and stay with her. Even as her guards appeared, I didn't flinch or run away. Even though they definitely recognized me. My ears burned with shame, and I quickly stepped aside.
"Princess," one of them said. "You're unharmed."
"Of course."
There was a slight shift in her attitude, making her seem taller, more confident, and somehow, other. Now, she reminded me more of that figure I had seen at the parade, and less of the friend that accompanied me all those days. But when she looked at me, her eyes glittered in a familiar way.
"I have made many important observations," she said, "And studied this culture with more depth than I ever imagined. Our bonds with Terra will stay strong."
With that, she nodded at the guard closest to her, who opened a portal with saying another word. They went in, one by one, until only the last guard and Emelyse stayed.
"See you soon, Toma!" she said, and waved, and smiled at me.
I couldn't deny the tears streaming down my face as I waved back, until a moment later, I was alone.
The surrounding area suddenly looked bigger, and I felt small, insignificant. But I shook my head. That wasn't what I was here for.
I went back to the travel pod, and collected the bots. They wouldn't be scrapped. One of them beeped at me.
"I'll look at you once we're home," I said, and gently rubbed its chrome surface.
We had a job to do, after all.
Soon enough, I packed every memorabilia into a cardboard box - the mugs, the blanket, the photos. Soon enough, the box was full, almost overspilling. The bots followed me around like puppies.
There was only one last thing to do.
"Lottie? Eject your data stick, please."
"Alright, Toma! I'll go to sleep, then. See you later!"
Even now, the voice sounded happy, without a care in the world. And why would Lottie care? It was an AI, without a sense of time, or pain, or loneliness. With a soft click, the small stick was ejected in the cockpit. I gently took it, and placed it in the box.
The travel pod was empty now, lifeless. It wasn't Lottie anymore. It made it easier to let go, to say goodbye, knowing that I could start over once again, with my very own Lottie. I smiled, and left the pod on the parking space, turning towards the shop.
I shook my head, smiling all the way. There was no way my parents would believe me. Too much happened in so few days. Even to me, it felt more like a dream than anything else.
After everything was sorted, and the pod was towed to go to the recycling station, I got a teleport home with the last money I had. In my hands, I gripped all my precious belongings tightly. But even if I lost them, I could never lose the memories.
I stepped through the portal, and behind me, the lake vanished.
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