3.45 Don't You Remember?

Zara and Nel sat at the kitchen table rolling dough, Mira and Nahash were teaching them how to make cookies. There was no doubt the Lemurian’s took the Solstice event very seriously, it was turning out to be a much larger job to prepare a party than either of them had envisioned. The Crystal Temple was already humming with music, reunions of joy and cheer were expressed regularly now as guests arrived, the party had already begun.

         Mina filled them in on the Solstice celebration traditions, explaining why they had to prepare so much food. Not only were they expecting partiers from Atlan, there would be friends and families gathering here from the remote areas of Lemuria too, and that for three days and nights they would be dancing and playing music in front of the fire, warning them that sleep would be hard to come by.

         She explained that it was a time when new lives were introduced and partnerships announced. New enterprises were pitched and forecasts disclosed. It was the most important time of the year, and this year's Solstice party was especially auspicious. Not only was there a magnificent comet in the sky, this year's Solstice was to be born from a full moon, eclipsed by the sun. It was a powerful time, a power the Lemurian’s saw as a gift of sacred Light, gifted to them from Netu.

         "The Winter Solstice is our Celebration of Life" she explained in a nutshell.

         Zara reflected upon the alternative history as she rolled the dough into rounds, laying them in an organized grid on the tray. Not everything had been explained, there were still quite a few missing dots.

         "What happened to the palace?"

         "It's still there" Nahash explained. "Beneath layers of marble and brick. It’s had a facelift, it's called Headquarters now."

         "Headquarters?" Zara scrunched her nose in disapproval. "But Headquarters is an office building! It's so... I don't know..."

         "It used to be tiled in mosaic gold" he went on to explain. "When Orius was hired to redesign the city they removed all the Solarian beauty that adorned it and replaced it with stone slab."

         "Why?" Zara tried to follow. "Why would they do that?"

         "These Archonic gods that run Atlan don't create their world, they transform that which has already been created. Creations therefore exist only so as to be transformed."

         Zara was having trouble, it seemed so backwards, not only that, it was raising difficult questions. She had more, lots more, but these thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like a crowd, singing outside! The friends dropped what they were doing and ran out to see.

         "WOW…" What a sight to behold, they couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the enormous crowd approaching, so many aribu had fled the walled city! Tears of joy sprung forth as the Lemurian’s beheld the awesome sight, the procession of aribu amongst their friends, singing in celebration as they neared the Crystal Temple, was awesome!

         The girls ran down the road to meet their old associates, so excited to welcome them to Anur, to show them their new found Paradise, they were dying to know; were there any old friends that made the voyage here?

         "Dena?" Zara wiped her eyes and looked again to be sure, it looked like her old roommate....

         Dena turned when she heard her name but she didn't recognize anyone...

         Zara cut through the crowd to get closer to her old friend, perhaps she hadn't heard.

         "Dena! It's me, Zara" she reminded, holding out her hand, grinning widely. "Remember? Your old university roommate?"

         Dena stared at the bald Lunie, clearly struggling.

         "Remember? Luncheon at The Grill?"

         Alarmed now, Dena stopped to scan her up and down, nothing about her looked familiar. "Excuse me?"

         Zara felt embarrassment set in, her heart was flatlining but she couldn't let it go.  "Fina... 3rd floor dorm facing the harbor... Don't you remember?"

         Dena struggled to match the face with her past. She recognized her name, perhaps her face was familiar in a way, she didn't understand.... Was this a party joke?

         "Zara?" she wondered if perhaps it could be true.

         "Yes!" Zara gushed, feeling relieved.

         "Sugar cheeks?"

         "Yes!" She began bouncing up and down, excited again.

         "Oh. My. God!" Dena stepped backward, now going into shock as she realized it really was. "I... I thought you went to the Promised Land! How did you end up here?"

         Zara took a deep breath, returning to the moment of destiny, the moment she stood outside the tunnel and faced her greatest fears.

         "It's a long story" she replied, unsure where it even began. "I thought I was going to Hellias!"

         "Me too!" Dena stood back to have another look at her supposedly expired old roommate. "Oh. My. God. It is you! What happened to your wig? No offence, Sugar Cheeks, but you look… Horrible!"

         Like Zara and Nel had been, the aribu were soon mute, silenced by wonder and dismay, no one knew what to think or say as they discovered the crazy white pyramid, the large stone egg, the generous hospitality of the Lunies and all their Products and animals running around free!
         "Welcome to Anur!" Mina welcomed them inside the Crystal Temple warmly, now filled with extra chairs, and a crowd of happy faces. "Make yourselves comfortable" she gestured towards the space, pointing out the kitchen, the fireplace and the sign pointing to the washrooms. "Sit wherever you can, there's enough room and food for everyone!"

         Weary from the hike, something most of them had never done before, the aribu dispersed around the room with great trepidation in search of a place to rest with their complimentary blankets gifted to each of them from the Star Tribe, each one a woven work of art. One after another they began to relax and outwardly question the contradicting messages about Lemuria, the comfort and hospitality offered by the so-called savage tribes was quite civilized. Was this a trick?

         Goblets of Moonwine soon flowed to surprised lips and plates of delicious food soon followed. One by one the aribu made a new Lemurian friend to discuss these findings with. Where was the idol for Medel? Was the so-called Golden Egg not really gold after all? Pockets of goddesses were developing around the children, fascinated with their charm and the exquisite Lemurian fashions, they were learning their new language fast.

         "They're children, not Products!" Here, they found themselves eager to make friends with the pregnant mothers, to explore the beauty of their world. Feelings of passion sprouted amidst conflicting thoughts about the world they had left behind. They too wanted to make such beautiful blankets and clothes, they too were drawn to the idea of having their own children, of nurturing the love of a family, of sharing a life with a handsome Lemurian god without having to share him with some Vine Club!

         And the merchants were equally fascinated by the beautiful clothes and adorable children, watching how the goddesses interacted with them amongst one another lit a strange fire inside, primal desires began to grip them in profound ways, an urge to provide all they would need was like a rogue flame blazing out of nowhere. Like the goddesses, they too were having thoughts of family ties and loving wives.

         The wine and foods only fueled these new temptations, passionate fantasies were evolving as fast as the speed of Light. Even Bell was beginning to relax, there were so many beautiful goddesses it was easy to forget the troubles and responsibilities he had left behind. Soon enough he too was heavily ensconced in the delicious food and fantasies involving beautiful goddesses that surrounded him, celebration was every direction he turned. Hellias? It wasn't so bad after all. He chugged back a mouthful of wine which was making him feel quite lit up, even the wine was nothing like the MoonWine he knew, how could they even call it the same thing?

         Pondering the strange and twisted reality of Lemuria, he scanned the happy faces that filled the room, when all of a sudden he recognized a face from the past. Zara? He narrowed his focus, like an automatic transmission his heart beat changed gear. How could it be? It was! Zara of the blonde wig had lost her wig.… He hadn't recognized her at first, but there she was, chatting with Dena!

        

         Zara felt his stare and turned towards him, thoughts froze as their eyes met, her heart ground to a sudden halt. Bell? She gasped, panicking instantly. Was she hallucinating? But when he quickly turned away at the same time she did, she knew it wasn't a hallucination at all!

         "Oh my god…" Like a scary dragon rearing it’s ugly head from her past, panic gripped her throat like a noose, tightening. Like the ground, disappearing beneath her, she felt herself falling into a spinning void of some diseased joke.

         "What's wrong Sugar Cheeks?" Dena noticed her emotional seizure and followed her gaze out into the room. 

         Bell looked their way again, obviously she had spotted him too. Reluctantly, he waved, forcing a smile.

         "Oh look, there's Bell! You remember Bell, don't you?"

         There was no doubt at all now, this was not a joke! Zara felt the blood drain from her head.

         "Don't you?"

         "Uh…" Her thoughts were tripping over each other but she had to remain calm. "Umm... I think so…"