Chapter 14: That Journey Home...

"I'm not sure if you noticed, but you have a tour scheduled for tomorrow," Ariel said.

"Hahii?" I froze. I was sure I had misheard Ariel. "No I don't. I'm scheduled to go..." I spent a second trying to remember what I had planned before I gave up "...somewhere."

"Check again. There was a last-minute appointment. Somebody scheduled a tour with you. You have a customer."

"A customer?" The realization slowly made its way through my thought process. "A customer? I have my first customer!" I cheered out to my self. I grabbed my neighbor's arms and started shaking them up and down and up and down in celebration.

April was unimpressed with my gestures. She muttered, "Okay you can stop now." I let her go and turned back to Ariel.

"Where did they want to go? What did they want to do?"

"I don't know. It's up to you. It's your tour. We meet here tomorrow at 8:00."

"Here? Not the passenger pickup area?" I looked around the harbor. There were several other Undines here. Most of them were Pairs, and an occasional Single like me could be seen. I didn't see a single tourist here. In fact, I had never seen a customer here before.

"Yes, here. We need to meet somewhere before we go pick them up." Upon seeing my look of confusion Ariel sighed. "A Single can't give a tour on her own; she needs a Prima to go along and make sure everything goes well. It's unprofessional to meet up at the pickup area, so Undines always meet here in advance so we can go together."

"Oh." I had known about needing to have a Prima to give a tour, but I hadn't known how the Undines met prior to it. Maybe Ariel knew something else I didn't know. "Who is the customer?"

"I don't know. Regardless, it's a lucky opportunity for you. Don't squander it. This could be your only tour before becoming a Prima. Make it count."

"Hahii." I was well aware how rare Single tours were. As per the company instructions, back when I had been a Pair operating the reception area, I had tried countless times to get an customer to sign up to go on a tour with a Single. I had never been successful in convincing even a single guest to change.

Ariel continued the rest of the morning briefing, but I barely paid attention to it. I had no idea what she said to April. If I had to guess, I would have guessed it would have been instructions for her to continue her practice in the harbor, just like always. But that was a guess. I hadn't actually heard what Ariel had said. My head was already full of visions of my upcoming tour. The numerous routes and possibilities teased me from just outside of conscious thought. I had planned countless tours before in joyous pretend, but now that the real opportunity was before me I couldn't think of anything concrete.

I wandered over to the scheduling area in a daze. Posted on the wall was the board detailing where everybody was going to be in the coming week. Just as always. I blinked at it, and then rubbed my eyes. It continued to stare back at me. The writing on the wall refused to change. It was really true. I did have my first customer.

My plans for tomorrow had changed. I couldn't even remember what I had originally planned. The excitement of my first tour had washed it all away. Regardless, replacing the original day plan I had submitted for approval was a new two-hour long tour block. It was matched by an identical two-hour long tour block which was now on Ariel's schedule as well.

It was like a dream come true. No. It was a dream come true. My very first customer. Suddenly all of the practice and studying I had done for so long felt woefully inadequate.

Forget my plans for tomorrow. Forget my plans for today. I had more important things to do. A look at the board showed that I had originally planned to travel to Murano Island. The path there was long and tricky, which made for good practice. The trip had the added benefit of giving me the opportunity to learn more about the glass blowing industry. I had only been there once since that first trip I had taken with Ariel. However, this news changed everything. I had my all-important first tour tomorrow. That was much more important, and much more urgent, to instead spend my time preparing for it.

The excitement was still on my face as I continued to wander back through the plush halls of Orange Planet to my room. My computer and all of my books and maps were there. There wasn't much time left, and I needed every moment I could spare to plan my tour.

I was still a Single, and as a Single I was something between a Pair and a Prima. This extended to giving tours as well. A Prima could, and in fact needed to, provide tours to paying customers. A Pair, ignoring the obvious exception afforded to Alice due to her natural genius, wasn't allowed to even leave the training area of Orange Planet. A Single was somewhere in between. They were expected to operate the traghetto, which weren't a tour as such but did consist of carrying passengers through the city, and they had the very occasional genuine tours like my upcoming one.

These Single tours were also something of a hybrid. They were conducted on black trainee gondolas rather than pristine white ones, and they required a Prima to come along to ensure quality. They were very rare, too. Despite the fact they cost was much less than a Prima's tour, it was rare for a guest to want to explore the city with the less experienced and less knowledgeable Singles.

None of that affected the fact that that I did have a tour and that I wanted it to be absolutely perfect. This would be a once in a lifetime event for the customer, and it had taken a leap of faith to entrust it to a Single. I wanted to make sure that faith had not been misplaced.

My entire thought process derailed when I pushed open the door to my room and came face to face with a strange girl. I was so close that I had almost slammed the door into her face.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized. "Ahh... who are you?"

The girl in question wore a white Undine uniform with the yellow accents unique to Orange Planet. She was decisively taller than me. I think my head ended at the height of her nose. She was also rather chubby. She had a round shape which made her look somewhat like a thin apple. She had short, lanky dark hair cut in a pageboy style. She also had a look of surprise on her face, but that faded quickly to a friendly smile. "That's okay. I'm Lexy. Are you my new roommate?"

"Lexy?" I asked. I paused to tear my thoughts away from the faceless customer I would meet tomorrow and instead focused on the situation in front of me.

There were a few bags and boxes and other stuff on the side of the room which I still thought of as Adrianna's, and which had remained empty for months. They were strewn about in various stages of unpacking. A quick glance out the window showed the time was late morning, which had been about the same time I had completed my paperwork when I had first joined Orange Planet. What cinched it was the large folder of papers sitting on the floor of the room. It was so similar to the large stack of barely-decipherable forms, maps, and guides that had been forcibly handed to me at that time.

My second thought was that it was strange to meet an Undine with a name which didn't start with an "A" sound. It seemed like that long string of coincidences was over. I somehow couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"Hahii. I'm Akari Mizunashi. It's nice to meet you," I said.

"It's nice to meet you too." Lexy went back to a box full of crisply folded clothes.

"What brings you to Orange Planet?" I wanted to know more about this new girl who would be my roommate for months, maybe years.

"Same as everybody else, I guess. I needed a job." She shrugged. Lexy didn't bother to look up at me as she continued to unpack her bags, boxes, and trunks. There were several of them. She had far more than I had when I had arrived from Manhome. In fact, she had far more than I had in total after living here for a year. There was casual dresses and books and jewelry and makeup and trinkets and more.

"You just needed a job?" I asked as I took a seat on my bed. I found it hard to think of being an Undine as just a job. It was spectacular. It was incredible. It touched the lives of so many people. It made the world that much more fantastic. How could anybody consider it just a job?

"Yeah. My parents kept bugging me about not going anywhere and they threatened to kick me out of the house. How annoying. Are your parents like that?"

I shook my head. As Lexy wasn't looking at me the effect was lost. It prompted me had to also verbally add, "No, they aren't."

"Lucky you. Anyway, I applied around, and this was the first one I got. I guess the good thing is this place provides room and board. I don't have to listen to my mom nagging me all the time anymore."

"I see." It seemed like there were all sorts of people in the world.

Lexy continued to unpack and didn't say anything else. I waited a few seconds, but Lexy was more preoccupied with getting her stuff in place than chatting with me. I was okay with that. I had a tour to prepare for, after all.

I pulled out some of my well-used tour books and pulled one open. The book flipped open on its own to the creased and familiar page of the map. From there I started planning my trip.

We would start at Orange Planet, of course. From there go past that hidden fountain. It should have been turned on by 8:30. Then to the Canal Grande. But then where? There were so many places to see. There was always St. Marco Square, and the Grand Bridge. Between the two, I liked St. Marco Square more. It was right by the Bridge of Sighs, too. Everybody always made it a point to see the Bridge of Sighs.

I kept a list of each location I considered as I went through my planning. What was special about them? How would they flow together? How were they connected, both by waterways and by history? What path would take my gondola through the city between them? What would I talk about between each site?

As I thought through them I could see each and every location in my mind's eye. The bit which could be seen from which approach. The areas which were highlighted or hidden from each angle. The rehearsed passages from the tour books, the little additions I got from exploring the place and listening to the others in the area, and my own independent investigations of the history of the site. I had lost count of the number of hours I spent lost in some description of the Doge's Palace or the Grand Bridge.

No matter how I looked at it, two hours just wasn't enough time. I could spend the whole time talking about St. Marco Square alone. How could I possibly talk about the entire grandeur of Neo Venezia in such a short amount of time? It would take a lifetime to discover each intimate little secret of the city, and even then I was sure I would only be able to barely scratch the surface.

But that was the role of an Undine. If it were easy, there wouldn't be a job for it. It was my challenge to figure out the best experience for the customer and then provide it. They had entrusted that job to me, and I would meet their faith.

"What are you doing?" Lexy asked. I turned to her voice and found her hovering over my shoulder and looking down at the papers and computer I had in front of me.

"I'm planning a tour for tomorrow. I have my first customer." I couldn't keep the giddiness out of my voice. I was excited. There was no doubt about that.

"A tour? That sounds scary. I hope I don't get one for a while."

I could understand that. It was kind of scary. I had left Manhome because I wanted some job with rowing gondolas. Giving tours was the only one I could find, and the thought of showing strangers the city intimidated me. However since then, having watched and learned about the city and having seen how important being an Undine was for the customers, my love for the profession had grown. I now couldn't wait to join the community of Undines who had actually provided a tour for a real customer, and who had forever impacted the life of a person.

"Don't worry. You'll need to be at least a Single before you can start giving tours."

"A Single? What's that?"

I turned my body to match my head in facing Lexy and explained. I explained about the Pair, Single, and Prima system, and showed my single-gloved hand as demonstration. I talked about the different responsibilities of each level. I mentioned the promotion system. I didn't go into any details about the secret Pair-to-Single promotion test. It felt weird to be the explainer who knew the thing, rather than the ignorant immigrant from Manhome which I typically had been. It was another indication that I was now the senior Undine and was now worthy of the single glove I now wore.

Lexy's reaction was not one I had been expecting. "So it's going to be a long time before I'm expected to do it myself? That's a relief." I found that reaction surprising because I personally couldn't wait to contribute more and more, both to Orange Planet as well as to Neo Venezia.

"That's right. It can take a while to get promoted." April was still a Pair, and she had been since before I had immigrated.

"I hope it takes a long time."

"Don't take too long. After a certain point if you're still a Pair they'll kick you out." Ashley had recently been forced out of the company like Adriana had been a month ago. It had been a very sad day.

Lexy's eyes grew wide. "How long do I have?"

"I don't know. I don't think it's anything official. I think Adriana-chan and Ashley-chan were Pairs for about two years before they had to leave."

"Two years? That's plenty of time."

The talk about people needing to leave was getting me depressed. Ashley had taken things much less intensely than Adriana had. Just one day during the morning briefing she was gone. I hadn't even realized she had been fired at first. I had assumed she had just caught a summer cold. I had gone to visit her room to wish her well when her roommate told me the news.

I wondered if the same would ever happen to me. Was there some unknown timer for Singles where we needed to become Primas before we got kicked out? With the traghetto and the tours I knew we were paying our way in the company so I doubted it. That was a relief. I couldn't imagine what I would do if I couldn't be an Undine. I was sure I would end up doing something with gondolas and the water, though.

"So what am I supposed to be doing now?" Lexy asked.

I looked around the room. Lexy had completed her unpacking, and her room looked as clean and orderly as it had been during those months I lived by myself. It was a far cry from how it had looked under Adriana's care.

As the senior Undine, it fell to me to help Lexy. I was overwhelmed with the responsibility. It was so different to be on the other side of the relationship. I felt that I should have known what Lexy should do, but I didn't.

"Normally we would be practicing, but since your new here I don't know." What I did know was that her Prima would know what she should be doing. Ariel always felt so collected. Then again, Athena both looked and felt lost most of the time, so maybe her Prima wouldn't be able to help. Regardless, putting Lexy in contact couldn't be a bad idea. "Do you know who your Prima is?"

"No. How do I find out?"

I tried to think back when I had first joined Orange Planet. How had I known that Ariel was my Prima? I couldn't remember. However, I had learned a lot during my time here, including the massive amount of process and paperwork of the company. It was annoying, but it likewise meant that there was some semblance of consistency in the system. It was a good bet that one of those sheets in the mess of papers Lexy had been given contained the answer to the question.

"I think it's on one of those forms. Mind if I take a look?"

"Those?" Lexy pointed at the stack of papers neatly lined up on the corner of her bed. "Sure, I guess."

I walked over and started flipping through the sheets one at a time.

The top of the second page already caught my attention. It was addressed to a Alexis Medeci. I asked, "Your name is Alexis?"

"Ugh. Don't call me that. Only my mom calls me Alexis."

"Okay," I said. So it would seem that the trend of Undines only being named with an "A" sound continued. But Lexy didn't go by that name. It added an extra nuance to the pattern.

Further down on that same page, I saw the detail I had been looking for. "There it is. Right here. It says your Prima is Ariel-sempai. Ahh... that's the same as me. That's no good. She's out giving a tour right now." Then again, most of the Prima were probably out giving a tour. I should have thought of that to begin with.

"Then what should I do?" Lexy looked at me with a casual askance.

"I don't know." I was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, I didn't want to leave this new person alone. On the other hand, I had my own tour to prepare for tomorrow. In the hour I had worked I had sketched out a rough plan, but there were all the details of each site to review. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect.

In the end, it wasn't even close. Ignoring Lexy was just not possible. Planning the perfect tour was important, but people were always more important.

I stood up and left my maps and guides and plans behind. I could revisit them in the afternoon. "Let's go. I can show you around the building."

We stepped out into the hallway, Lexy following just behind me. The brilliant sunlight streamed through the large windows in the halls. Long gone were the dark days of winter. The air conditioning of Orange Planet kept everything an even temperature, but the windows filtered little as it let in the proud summer sun. The light brought out every nuanced shade of the thick carpeting and wide corridor.

"Why don't I show you the cafeteria, first? I could use some lunch," I suggested.

Lexy agreed.

It was the same path I had taken hundreds and hundreds of times. The presence of Lexy made all the difference. I found myself seeing everything in a new way through a new pair of eyes. Things I had come to take for granted were once again filled with a wondrous confusion. I was sure the same thing would happen in Neo Venezia with tours. It was yet another reason why being a tour guide was a dream job. I had enjoyed, and still enjoyed, discovering every little bit of Neo Venezia. I loved the idea of experiencing the same wonder every day, of being able to enjoy the spectacular Canal Grande and Doge's Palace and St. Marco Square and everything else anew countless times.

"Hello, Undine-chan," a voice called out. That could have been addressing almost anybody in Orange Planet. The voice was what gave away that it was the gardener and he was talking to me, even if we weren't that close to the outdoor courtyard garden.

I turned to see the familiar sprightly old man walking behind us. He was carrying a pail in one hand with various tools piled in it. His other arm had a large rake. It was tucked into the crock of his elbow and held over his shoulder like a sentry's gun. He was catching up to us at a brisk pace, undoubtedly as eager to attend to his work as I was to attend to mine. He had a new bed of carnations to attend to.

The gardener still slowed down as he approached. He asked, "Who's that?"

"Let me introduce you. This is Lexy-chan. She's a new Undine, and my new roommate. And this is..." I hesitated. I had never actually learned the gardener's name. He was always just the kindly old man who tended the garden. Then again, I wasn't sure he had ever learned my name, either.

"Alfred," he interjected. "It's nice to meet you," the gardener said. His arms were full but he still lifted his pail in acknowledgement.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Lexy said. She gave a greeting bow in return.

"Alfred-san is the gardener. Orange Planet has this big courtyard with all sorts of stuff growing in it. We're going to pass by it."

"Where are you off to?" Alfred asked.

"I'm showing Lexy-chan around. I thought we would go to the training harbor, and the cafeteria, and the mail room."

"Not the swimming pool?" Alfred asked.

"We have a swimming pool?" I asked. I hadn't known that.

"Of course we do," Alfred said.

"How long worked here, Akari-sempai?"

It felt weird to be called sempai.

I had to be careful in doing my mental calculations. "About a year now," I said. It felt much longer than a year because it had in fact been much longer. It had been more than twice as long, as compared to using the Manhome calendar. We were on Aqua, so using the Aqua calendar seemed more appropriate.

The gardener gave out a laugh. It was a squeaky laugh which lived entirely in his nose. It would have been enough to make me giggle back, if I hadn't been the subject of his humor.

"Of course there's a pool. It's one of the big perks of working at Orange Planet."

"Everybody knows about it, Akari-sempai."

"Hohee..." Everybody hadn't included me. I guess it was one of those things that everybody who grew up in Neo Venezia knew, so nobody ever bothered to talk about. For me the big draw of Orange Planet was the opportunity to be an Undine. It was the only opportunity somebody from Manhome could find. However, if I had known about the pool, I definitely would have gone a few times over the year. "Where is it?"

"It's on the third floor, near the harbor."

We had reached the garden while we talked. The exposed long corridor let in plenty of light, and it taxed the advanced and carefully designed climate control system of Orange Planet. It was always a bit cooler here in the winter and a bit warmer in the summer. Considering it had no glass windows and was openly exposed to the elements, it was impressive that there was such a modest difference in temperature. The light summer uniforms that Lexy and I wore ensured that the temperature change was merely noticeably different rather than being outright uncomfortable.

The presence of Lexy made all the difference for me on this visit. I saw the garden in a whole new light through a new pair of eyes. I could feel what was going through her head as she saw the display in front of her for the first time. The vivid flowers against the backdrop of green leaves and blue water. The rows of plants, lovingly placed and cultivated. It was a world as prestigious as any of the gardens which dotted Neo Venezia, put on display in homage to the aristocratic wives of historic Venice. It was a layout as precise as any of the ones on display on Manhome, carefully calculated for maximum effect. It was like seeing it for the first time all over again.

"Do you want to go outside and take a look?" I asked.

"Not really. It's hot out there," Lexy said.

I was disappointed. Apparently I got more out of seeing Alfred's garden than Lexy herself did. However, this tour of Orange Planet was for Lexy's benefit, not for mine. If she didn't want to see more, it was her prerogative as the customer.

We bid out farewells to Alfred. He went out into the blazing heat to continue his endless privilege of manicuring the living display. Meanwhile, Lexi and I pressed onward to the port. Maybe we could find this swimming pool that Alfred and Lexy herself had both mentioned.

The journey to the heart of Orange Planet continued. It was the heart because the entire company was built around the gondolas and the Undine who row them for customers. The harbor was the central point of the entire company, with the waterways and hallways connecting outward like arteries, along which flowed the gondolas and Undine to wherever they needed to go.

"I know you lived in Neo Venezia. Did you grow up here?" I asked. The carpets we traversed were as thick and grand as ever. In the winter, the warm colors and velveted feel kept everything cozy against the frosty air outside. It would have given the feeling of warmth even without the powerful heating system keeping everything inside a comfortable temperature. In the midst of summer the effect was changed to instead give the impression of homeyness despite the blazing sun outside.

"No. I grew up in Tuce. I only moved here a few years ago."

"Tuce? I've never heard of it before."

"I'm not surprised. It's a tiny city on the other side of Aqua. It's terrible. Nothing ever happens there."

"Hahii?" I don't think I had ever met somebody who didn't like the place in which they grown up.

"I'm glad we left. I only wish it could have been sooner. I always knew I wasn't going to stay there forever. I was destined to go somewhere bigger."

"So you were happy to come to Neo Venezia?.

"Kind of. It's better than Tuce, but not by that much. I want to move to Manhome."

I added Lexi to the list of people who wanted to move to Manhome. I had met a number of them in Neo Venezia, especially inside Orange Planet. I had certainly met more of them than the number of people on Manhome who wanted to move to Aqua. I said, "I grew up on Manhome."

"You did? I'm so envious." Lexy's voice took on an aerated, wistful twist. "What's it like? Is everything I heard about it true?"

I had been asked that question countless times. It was one of the questions people always asked me whenever they found out I was from Manhome. I didn't really see what the fascination was. Everything on Manhome was pristine and perfect. It was exactly what they were picturing.

"Manhome is as different as you think, but in different ways than you think. Everything on Manhome is really organized and clean and ideal. You always know what to expect. Dinner is cooked precisely the best way each time. They make sure the summers are mild. It always snows on Christmas. Everything there is much faster and runs perfectly."

On the other hand, I still preferred Neo Venezia despite that. Manhome had no long sandy beaches to walk through with the sand squishing between my toes. No surprise nip of coldness in the morning. No delightful bit of overcooked cheese crunching on the edge of a plate of pasta. No little nuances of imperfection which made everything in Neo Venezia feel genuine.

Lexi still had a look of dazzling wonder as we entered the harbor.

The first thing I showed Lexi was where the oars hung from the ceiling, all lined up in order. I then showed her where the gondolas were organized equally rigidly, and where the schedule board that showed where everybody should be on each day. Lexi remained fairly quiet throughout the brief tour, only exchanging a couple of words during my introductions with the old man who oversaw the harbor. He had returned from his trip to Manhome. I would need to catch up with how it had been another time, when I wouldn't force Lexi to wait for me as we talked.

After that we went off in search of that pool. It was a surprisingly confusing task. The lush carpeting and expansive halls all reflected the same vivid oranges and reds. I found myself turned around and confused as to which way was what. I somehow ended up lost inside Orange Planet. On my own it would have been embarrassing enough, but it was mortifying to have my new junior in tow behind me as it happened.

I was saved by a passing Pair who was able to escort us there.

The pool was as impressive as I had imagined. Orange Planet didn't do things by half measures. The room was huge. It was bigger than the garden and bigger than the cafeteria. There was a wide rectangular stone-lined pool, filled deeply with water. The water was surrounded by a beige tiled floor, which connected it to the warm murals of Neo Venezia on the walls. It looked like the middle of a campo, with a fountain on the one end and the skyline showing St Mark's Campanile on the other.

The surface of the water was perpetually churning with tiny ripples despite the fact that nobody was actually in it. It was a tragic waste. Such a magnificent body of water and nobody to enjoy it. That nobody included me. I hadn't brought a swimsuit on this trip.

That didn't stop me from kneeling next to the edge and stroking my hand through the water. The wake of my passage drifted outward, merging and quickly becoming lost in the countless other ripples throughout pool. The cool water cupped in my hand stood in pleasant contrast to the muggy feeling which suffused the air. It wasn't nearly as hot as outside, and the air felt more clammy rather than suffocating near the water. Somehow the clear distinctly wet feeling in my hand was less moist than the humidity all around me.

"It makes you want to jump right in, doesn't it?" I asked.

Lexi gave an indistinct noise of agreement.

I would definitely need to come back later. I had found the large bathhouse inside Orange Planet, but this was completely different.

Leaving the pool was much easier than finding it. There was the easy point of reference to be found just outside the room. I saw an unmistakably unique painting on the wall which depicted a pair of people running along the canals, and everything else quickly snapped into place. It made it so easy that I wasn't sure how I had gotten lost in the first place, and I resumed showing Lexi around Orange Planet.

After I showed Lexi the mail room, the Human Resources and Accounting areas, the grand entrance and its huge map of Neo Venezia, and the visitor gift store, it was only three short steps to cross the door and head out into city proper. It somehow felt natural to explain the entire area, not merely the content within the building itself.

By this point it was long after noon. However, the gently arced shadows from the walls and trees provided scant protection against the sweltering heat. The air felt like a physical force, turning from a hot jolt into a sweaty mass in minutes. One thing I adored about Neo Venezia was how each of the seasons had its own distinct personality. The leaves dancing in the wind in the fall, the blanket of snow covering the city like it was trying to snuggle for warmth in the winter, and the hot humidity searching for a cooling wisp of air in the summer.

We continued around, and I introduced Lexi to many of the people in the area. I showed her the shopping areas and the restaurants and the nearby tourist spots.

It was just before dinner when we returned to Orange Planet. The tour naturally concluded at the cafeteria with a well-earned meal. Overall, it was a day well spent. Lexi seemed satisfied, and I had had a great deal of fun as well. The only problem was that I hadn't prepared at all for my upcoming tour of Neo Venezia. I would need to spend a late night preparing for it, but I was so excited that I doubted I would have been able to get any sleep anyway.

The bubbling excitement which had driven me to stay up studying and planning, and which had subsequently found me lying in bed with open eyes and active mind, had continued to grow. Despite my fitful night, I was still wide awake as Ariel went through her morning introduction of the new Pair in her group.

"Alexis-chan," Ariel started.

It took me a second to realize whom Ariel had been addressing. Lexi's correction came much more quickly.

"Lexi, please. I hate the name Alexis."

I already had mentally associated the spirited girl with the name Lexi, rather than the much more traditional name of Alexis which she disliked so much. To have her given name annoy her so much must have been a source of constant irritation. I was lucky in that regard. Thus far nobody had ever given me a nickname or called me anything which especially annoyed me.

"Very well. Lexi-chan. As you're new here, let's start with some introductions. My name is Ariel. I'm going to be your Prima and teach you everything you need to know about being an Undine," Ariel said.

"I'm April."

"I'm Akari," I said, just for the sake of completeness.

"Now normally I would ask you to show off what you already know, but Akari-chan and I have an early morning appointment so that will need to wait until tomorrow. April-chan, work with Lexi-chan and show her around," Ariel said.

"Okay."

"As for you, Akari-chan, we have a customer this morning."

"Hahii!" My enthusiasm made my response come out closer to a shout than a simple acknowledgment. It was enough to turn a few heads in the area.

I was prepared for the babble of excited murmurs and questions. None came. I guess my own excitement was not nearly as contagious as I felt it was. The brief exclamation from yesterday had been enough to satisfy April, and Lexi was either unaware of the situation or uninterested in finding out more.

"Okay, that's it then. April-chan, Lexi-chan, you know what to do. Akari-chan, let's go. We mustn't keep the customer waiting."

We all agreed and the group broke apart, albeit only in a literal sense. All four of us ended up walking to the same lines of black gondolas. The pristine white ones were kept in a separate area and reserved only for Primas.

April and Lexi took one of the well-familiar practice gondolas and brought it to the equally familiar practice harbor. Ariel and I also took one of the well-familiar practice gondolas and brought it to the equally familiar practice harbor, but then I started rowing it along a very unfamiliar canal to the customer entrance.

"Do you know anything about my customer?" I asked as I rowed. Ariel had taken a seat in the front of the gondola facing me.

"Not really. It's probably somebody you know. I'm guessing they asked for you specifically. The company even went to the trouble of rearranging both your and my schedule," Ariel said.

That didn't really help me narrow things down. I knew a lot of people in Neo Venezia, not to mention from back on Manhome. Paradoxically, the thought that it was somebody I personally knew made me both more nervous and less nervous. It was a comfort because this customer would be more understanding of my newness, but it was also an extra stress because I didn't want to disappoint whoever had requested me.

"It doesn't really matter. Every customer is a customer," Ariel continued saying.

"Hahii."

The whole experience was a whirl of sensations. Everything had a feeling of familiarity, but it was tinged with a completely different sensation. The weight of Ariel in her seat, which lowered how far the boat sat in the water and made it bite slightly more firmly as it move forward. The brightly lit dock as seen from the water instead of the shore, reflecting both the lamplight and fragments of sunlight. Most of all, the fluttering anticipation of my first real-life customer. It made me feel giddy.

The echoes of my rowing bounced off of the walls and surrounded me as I moved through the short passage to the customer reception harbor. It created a feeling of timelessness. It passed by in a moment. It passed by after an eternity. Our only company was my shadows cast against the wall which escorted me through to the bright and inviting reception area.

"Where should I go?" I asked. This was the first time I had had to meet a customer from this angle. The multiple docks of the area confused me.

"Just stop over there." Ariel pointed to the nearest station. "One of the Pairs will recognize us and bring out the guest."

"Hahii."

I maneuvered the gondola to be adjacent to the dock and slowed down. There was a light tap as the boat settled in. It was far better than the jarring harsh thunk of the uncontrolled stop that I would have had a year earlier.

Just as Ariel promised, a pair of women approached. But it had to have been a coincidence. Both were wearing the spotless white dresses of Undine uniforms. One had the long familiar yellow of Orange Planet, while the other had a gentle blue. I probably would have remembered which company it was eventually, but the fact that the uniform was worn by Alicia made that bit of trivia a moot point. Everybody knew of the legendary Snow White. She was the only employee of Aria Company, which made identification of the company simple. I wondered what she was doing visiting us. We were competitors and rival companies, even if Orange Planet was so much larger than the single-person Aria Company.

They kept walking towards me. It was enough to get me to turn around and look behind to make sure there was nobody was there. There was only the quiet water and masonry.

"Here we are, madam. This is Akari Mizunashi. She will be your Undine today," the Pair walking with Alicia said. The Pair had a wooden face with a forced smile.

"Hahii?" She was my booked customer? My mind froze at the thought. I couldn't believe it.

"Alicia-san? Alicia-san, what are you doing here?" Ariel asked. She quickly turned back to me with wide eyes. "Akari-chan, this is Alicia-san. She's one of the Three Water Fairies."

"Ara, ara."

"Alicia-san? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Ara. I wanted to take a tour with you."

"Wait, you know Akari-chan already? You're our customer? Don't just stand there, help her in, Akari-chan."

"Hahii." I snapped to it, matching Ariel's increased speed and urgency. I stepped over to straddle the shore. It was made easier with Ariel's presence in the gondola. Her extra mass made the gondola that much less reactive to my shifting weight. I used my feet to brace the gondola and hold it steady. I then held my hand out and said, "Welcome. Please take my hand."

Alicia gently took my uncovered hand. She had a feather-light touch as she stepped into the gondola. I barely felt the boat shift. I might have missed it if I hadn't been carefully watching her motions, as the standard precaution for helping a guest onto the gondola dictated. Her movement was even more deft than Ariel when she had drilled me over and over for practice. I was sure Alicia had no real need for my help and was just humoring me.

Once Alicia had seated herself in the padded seat in front of me, across from Ariel who remained seated near the front facing backwards towards me and Alicia, I eased the gondola away from the dock and started making my way out into Neo Venezia. I pushed the gondola through the water with the solid weight of three people. Alicia's added presence changed the gondola's handling as substantially as Ariel's presence changed it as compared to my practice with Aria. It added a pleasant extra heft to everything. The water felt even more firmer as I pressed against it. The boat was even more lehargic in responding to my motions. The lapping of water was heard rather than felt. It was nowhere near the stoic feeling of the traghetto and its throng of passengers which needed two Undines to row, but it wasn't like rowing the gondola on my own, a leaf floating in the waves.

"Madam, is there anything in particular you wanted to see?" Alicia must have known everything from the tour books and more, and I was sure she knew everything in Neo Venezia much better than I did. The only reason she would be asking for a tour was if there was something specific she wanted from it. I had put in a lot of time into planning the previous night, but the tour was for the customer, not for me.

"Whatever you want to show me is good, Akari-chan."

"Hahii." I was a bit surprised, but it was a relief as well. It would appear that I could continue my route as originally planned.

The light of the sun brightened as we drew closer and closer to the exit, but the scattered reflections against the water were still no match for the full Salamander-enhanced sunlight that struck when I exited the tunnel. I emerged into the hot summer day. The humid heat which was I had so longed for back in the middle of winter engulfed us all, melting away any lingering chills from the air-conditioned Orange Planet.

I only had one path I could take until I reached the fork in the canal just outside of Orange Planet. It was only there that I could begin the tour in earnest.

"Madam customer. If you'll direct your attention to the right." Along the way to St. Marco Square, I slowed and stopped, then nudged the gondola into position. It wasn't a big site well known across all of the tourist books, or indeed something I expected other Undines to even know at all. We were facing what appeared to be a plain wall. It had a weathered patina which hinted at the long history it had seen throughout the years, but it was otherwise unremarkable.

"What's here, Akari-chan?" Ariel asked.

"If you will just be patient for a minute." I knew what was going to happen. I had seen it enough times, but I was still nervous. It would have been just my luck that this would be the first time in months that the fountain hidden in the park behind the wall was not turned on. I hadn't actually checked it the day before, and it was entirely possible it was undergoing maintenance or something had gone wrong. The time ticked by interminably slowly, and I did my best to keep an image of confidence.

3... 2... 1... and nothing. My heart fell. I would apparently be looking foolish on my very first tour ever. I hoped it wouldn't hurt my future too much. Singles, especially new Singles, couldn't be held to the same standards as Primas were. We were still in training, which is why our tours were so much less expensive.

And then the fountain sprang to life. It wasn't choreographed as such. From what I could tell, this particular fountain just had fits and spurts as it started up in the morning. It juggled itself awake, flinging water up and then out and then up again as it tried to build up the right amount of water pressure. As it did so, it incidentally sprayed water in a fantastic manner everywhere, which created a brilliant unplanned show. The fine mists of water sparkled in the air and caught the sunlight, scattering it into a magnificent rainbow all across the sky.

"Behind this wall is a campo with a big fountain. They turn it on every day at this time," I explained to both Ariel and Alicia. Meanwhile a flock of birds fluttered down, frolicking through the cool spray which had appeared. "I like watching the rainbows that show up. It's like they come out to greet the birds every morning. There are campos like this all around the city. They're like little squares where houses and shops gather, and they make little places where people can meet."

"That's nice, Akari-chan, but I'm sure our customer is more interested in getting to see something like St. Marco Square," Ariel said.

"Hahii." I couldn't really see Alicia's face, but Ariel was sitting towards both of us. She looked impatient, so I hurried on to the next stop of my route.

Along the way to St. Marco Square, we passed by the house of the man who was making a scale model of Neo Venezia. I was tempted to stop and show it to Alicia, but a glance towards Ariel made me change my mind. I instead limited myself to merely slowing down a bit as we passed by and mentioning the project to Alicia. The man who was working on it heard my voice and poked his head out, and we exchanged a couple of words. That was when I learned that Alicia already knew him too. I guess it was lucky that Ariel had chided me to move on faster.

I arrived at St. Marco Square. It was full of people. It was full of excitement. The day was still warming up, and residents and tourists alike were taking advantage of the remaining morning temperance before the afternoon heat truly arrived in force.

My explanations began with a description of the stately Doge's Palace, and the grand spaceport, and the unmissable St. Marco Campanile, and the quaint historical cafe, and the ornate St. Marco's basilica. I mentioned the Piazzetta around the corner, and the entire history of how the Plaza had been recreated from the sunken original in Venice on Manhome. I got a bit carried away, interspersing the descriptions which would be found in a tour book with my own personal experiences. I recommend the coffee at the old man's cafe, and mused about the Sylphs as they danced through the sky both to and from their nearby office.

It was a natural jump for me to move on to talking about the nearby Bridge of Sighs, its dark prison history, and the more romantic modern change to it in Neo Venezia. I talked about the local legend of how if two lovers kissed at sunset on a gondola while the bells of St. Marco Campanile rang they would be granted eternal love and bliss. I couldn't tell how Ariel felt about me adding in this extra little trivia, but Alicia seemed to find it endearing.

The next place on my agenda was the Canal Grande. As I rowed, I kept thinking about what to say next. There was a set of low bridges to the side, which I had planned on mentioning as some fun trivia about how the tides affected the life of an Undine and of the city. Before I could do so, though, Alicia turned back to me and asked, "Athena-chan told me you were originally from Manhome. What do you think of Neo Venezia?"

I didn't even need to think of an answer. I gave a variation of the same answer which I had given Lexy, and which I had given to everybody else.

Alicia then took the question a different direction. "And you enjoy being an Undine?"

"Hahii." I nodded emphatically without hesitation. "It's so peaceful. You can really feel the different faces of Neo Venezia, and take the time to really meet people here. I like being able to help out all these tourists find their own Neo Venezia. This city has so much to see. I want to make sure everybody can get everything the city has to offer."

"Ara, ara."

We had reached the Canal Grande by this point. The canal was busy with residents going to and fro, both along its side as well as over its four bridges. The daily traffic of mail and goods and everything else was substantial on its own, and the crowd was made all the larger by the tourists with their cameras and brochures. There were even more tourists traveling along the water in covered boats powered by motors.

I expected to see more of those large sheltered boats as the summer grew. It was a very different canal as compared to when sunlight kissed your face at the first warmth of spring, or compared to when the gentle autumn breeze which blew through the clear air. It took all my skill to avoid the traffic as I continued my explanation of the oldest and most significant bridge, the Rialto Bridge.

The tour time was nearing an end. I turned the gondola through one of the side passages and started making my way back to Orange Planet. I made it a point to cross near the Fenice Theater, and I told Alicia and Ariel about how it had been reborn time and again again, most recently in Neo Venezia. Ariel's expectant look made me think that I was missing something, and I belatedly realized what it was as I started to row away. I added in that they had some shows later in the day, and I offered to assist Alicia with booking tickets. Ariel nodded slightly in response.

The trip back to Orange Planet went well. The importance of punctuality had been emphasized to me multiple times. Ariel's frequent stern looks were not needed to remind me to not dally. I did take the opportunity when passing by one of my favorite home gardens to point it out to Alicia, but I otherwise didn't delay in my return.

We arrived just in time to be on schedule. It was a major relief. I had been worried that I would be late due to my slow speed, and I was sure somebody as prominent as Alicia was very busy. I had increased my rowing pace over the year in Neo Venezia as compared to the slowness I had had when I first arrived. It could now be described as being more deliberate than anything, even if I felt like the end of my tour was far more rushed than I would have liked. It was the kind of thing which could only be improved with more practice.

I approached the dock. My approach was less deft than my maneuvering earlier in the morning had been. I still wasn't accustomed to rowing with two passengers and I misjudged my speed. We slowed a bit too much a bit too far from the dock, and I had to do some frantic extra rowing to safely reach the shore.

"Alicia-chan. Good morning." Athena's vacuous greeting was enough to draw attention to her presence. Not that she needed it. The presence of Siren was as unmissable as Snow White's earlier entrance had been. There was a slight aura of space around her into which nobody would dare enter. This also coincidentally gave me plenty of room to take the half step ashore to brace the gondola and help the customer back onto land.

"Ara, ara. Good morning, Athena-chan." Alicia took my hand when disembarking just as lightly as she had boarded the gondola.

Ariel stepped ashore as well. She didn't bother taking my hand. I could feel the boat shudder slightly as she disembarked. Her departure left me as the only one still keeping the gondola under control.

"Well, then. Thank you very much for your business. I hope you will visit Orange Planet again," I said, giving the expected closing statements to Alicia. I bowed to her out of respect more than out of company enforced etiquette.

"Thank you Akari-chan. I had a wonderful time."

"Hahii." I felt my face flush with embarrassment in response to the high complement from Snow White. "Thank you very much."

"Ariel-san. Do you have a minute to talk about something?" Alicia asked.

"Sure?" Ariel answered. She walked away, accompanying Alicia and Athena back into the main building of Orange Planet.

It was over. My first tour. My very first tour with a paying customer. Not only that. With the legendary Alicia. Who had said she had had a wonderful time. I felt the glow of accomplishment in my chest.

My morning tour had been the only special thing planned for me. The rest of my day was basically free. I was free to do whatever I wanted. In this case, that meant practice. I was happy with how the tour had turned out, but even so I had felt rushed at the end. Everything took so much more time in person than it did when I was hunched over a paper map. There was so much to see and so much to do. This applied both to the big sites I planned to see as well as to the little things I passed by serendipitously along the way. I was disappointed I wasn't able to discuss more of them as I went.

I noted the time on the clock and pushed off again. I was going to repeat the tour I had just given and see if I could do a better job with time management. I would need to spend less time in the beginning, more time at the end, and do more talking as I rowed. Maybe I could talk a bit about things as I approached a place to fill some of the quiet moments and let the customer know in advance what to look out for.

The gondola leaped forward in response to my push. It drifted far more freely then it had when it had been weighed down by Alicia and Ariel's presence. It spun easier with all of the weight concentrated underneath my feet, and it was more susceptible to the whims of the current I traveled through.

"Mister customer," I said to the imaginary man sitting in the customer's chair, "we will be starting the tour by going to the St. Marco Square. St. Marco Square is the largest public square in Neo Venezia, but it is far from the only one. You'll notice as we travel through the city that there will be lots of smaller ones, called campo. These serve as gathering places for people to meet and for events, like markets and festivals."

And I noticed I was already behind where I wanted to be. I tried to push myself faster. But then I slowed down again when I noticed the gondola was bouncing around more than it should. I had to strike a balance as I went.

The imaginary tour continued very much like the tour with Alicia had earlier. The fountain was still running so there was no water show there, but instead I took a small detour to show the memorial wall commemorating the pioneers of Neo Venezia, and to talk about how water had been brought to the previously dry planet of Mars. St. Marco Square, in deference to the rising heat, was much more sedate than earlier in the day. In contrast, the Canal Grande had sped up in defiance to it. It required far more work to keep the lighter gondola still against the increased size and number of waves there.

I pushed myself to go a bit faster as I went around the Fenice Theater. I wasn't moving as fast as when I had visited earlier, when Alicia and Ariel had been listening to my every word. I completed that site and then returned back to Orange Planet. I was a bit late. Even so, I thought that this trip was more balanced than my first one had been. I reflected on how things had gone before pushing off to repeat the circuit again.

The third attempt at the tour went even better than the second one had. I didn't like at all how it felt, though. I was entirely too rushed throughout the whole time. Maybe if I could row faster it would be okay. But for now, my best option was to change the route. Maybe I would skip the Fenice Theater on this route. It would be sad, but it would allow me more time to show the House of Despair, with its wall of blue stone mosaicking out as if a spider had tried to capture the entire sky.

When I returned back to Orange Planet the third time, I was greeted by an unexpected sight. Ariel was waiting for me, along with Athena and Alicia. I didn't know what to think about this. Neither did any of the other Undine around the dock. They stood around watching, giving the trio a wide berth out of respect of the aura of unapproachability which was even larger than Athena's had been earlier.

As I drew near, I could make out their features more and more. Athena had that strange look of sharp clarity she sometimes got. This was in contrast with Alicia, who projected at atmosphere of calm serenity.

"Hey, Akari-chan. Please come over here," Ariel said as she beckoned over with an arm. It was not a friendly beckoning. She had some strange mixture of concern and resignation on her face, as emotionally intense as Athena and Alicia.

"Hahii." I shifted my gondola near to the dock. The maneuver was made long familiar from the months of practice, and there was no passengers to confuse the balance and handling of the boat. It was only half-way through that I remembered there were three Prima waiting for me and I tried to push myself to hurry.

"I really enjoyed my time with you earlier," Alicia said as I approached.

"Thank you very much."

"Would you be interested in switching companies and working with me in Aria Company?"

"Ha?" I asked. I must have misheard Alicia. For a second I had thought she had invited me to leave Orange Planet and to work with her. But that was obviously impossible.

"I'm looking for a protogee, and I would like it to be you. Athena-chan recommended you, and I agree," Alicia said. I could hear the words, but they drifted through my head in a haze. Everything had taken on the fuzzy unreality of a dream. "Aria Company is small, but I think I have a great deal to offer a Single. And I think you already know the company president."

A roaring sound blanketed my ears, whirling around and making it hard to hear anything. All around us, the indistinct background figures stopped and gasped and whispered. They were so disconnected from the three Prima in front of me, all of whom I could barely see anyway despite their close proximity. I couldn't even tell if those whispers were from Pairs, Singles, or Primas.

"Hahii?!" Confusion. Surprise. Shock. I turned to look at Ariel out of reflex. "But... but... but... I thought I couldn't leave Orange Planet."

"It's okay," Athena said. "I talked with management. You can do it if you want to."

"It's up to you," Ariel said. Heavy emotions danced across her face. "To tell you the truth, the chance to learn from one of the Three Water Fairies is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

That was an understatement. The skills of Snow White, like Siren and Crimson Rose, were legendary. I had seen how Alicia so effortlessly mastered even the choppiest and most crowded of corridors, and how Athena could still an entire plaza with the sound of her voice. I couldn't remember meeting Crimson Rose, but certainly Akira must have been at the same skill level. Being able to work with Alicia wouldn't just be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I could go multiple lifetimes and never get this kind of chance again.

But still there were problems to consider. "What about where I will live?" I earned some money as a Single, but it wasn't nearly enough to afford an apartment. That was one of the major perks which made my initial migration to Aqua possible. If Orange Planet wasn't providing housing, then I wasn't sure what I would have done.

Alicia's smiling face didn't so much as twitch in response. "Aria Company is a combined office and house. You can stay there. It won't be as extravagant as Orange Planet, but we have everything you need. There is a kitchen to cook in, and we have an extra room in the attic. It's where I used to stay when I was still a trainee."

I wasn't the happiest with Orange Planet's reams of processes and false faces put forward for the customer, but it was familiar. And the time on the water was everything I had imagined it being and more. This would be a leap into the unknown. It was terrifying and exciting all at once. I didn't know very much about Aria Company, but my past experiences with Alicia had certainly left a good impression on me.

"I... I want to do it," I said. Then with more conviction, "I want to move. Please take good care of me, Alicia-san." I bowed to her.

"Ara ara."

Things became a whirl of activity after my decision to switch companies. I couldn't even remember if I had put away my practice gondola. Before I knew it, I was in the Human Resources portion of Orange Planet and going through an exit interview with Aldo.

He had a series of form questions for me to answer, every bit as mechanical as everything else I had come to expect.

Why was I leaving?

Where was I going?

How much money would I be earning at the new place?

What did I think of Ariel?

If I could change anything in Orange Planet to make it a better place, what would I change?

I tried to answer as best I could. The only real reaction I could see from Aldo to any of my answers was when I mentioned I would be going to Aria Company. He interjected to verify that I meant Alicia, which I confirmed. After that the rest of the questions seemed much more perfunctory.

Once I had completed the exit interview I left the relatively foreign Human Resources wing. I rarely visited that area. The last time I had seen it was when I had been scolded for returning the gondola late for one of my unplanned practices. I emerged into the much more familiar and much more traveled general corridors. It was just as plush and just as opulent as when I had first joined Orange Planet. There was a new picture hanging on the wall depicting a family of cats lounging around. It was hard to imagine that this could be the last time I would be passing by these now familiar sights.

My room was the penultimate stop. I had to pack everything in preparation for the move. No, not everything. I was to leave the Orange Planet uniforms behind. I wanted to keep one, as a souvenir, but Aldo had been insistent. I was tempted to take one anyway, but I would never steal one. This uniform was the mark of Orange Planet, something I no longer was.

I instead changed my clothes. I put on some shorts and a light blouse. It was far from the Manhome fashion I had worn when I had first arrived. It was with some satisfaction that I noted I was dressed like a native of Neo Venezia.

Packing took a great deal more time than unpacking had. Over the past year I had acquired various odds and ends. New clothes. A bright mask from an actor in thanks for a favor rendered. A wind charm in memory of a festival. They overflowed my suitcase, and I needed to get some boxes to hold the surplus.

Lexi returned when I was nearing completion. My dresser was mostly empty, and it looked as if it wanted to deflate like an empty balloon.

"What's going on? You're moving?" Lexi asked.

"Hahii. I'm changing companies, to Aria Company."

Lexi gave out a whistle. Of course she would have known about Aria Company and Alicia. I think every native to Neo Venezia would. I wondered if that included me now. "I see. Good luck. Maybe you can find out if they have room for me too while you're there."

"Hahii."

"Do you need any help?"

I looked around at the stacks of boxes. "Hahii. Thank you."

Lexi grabbed one of the small but heavy containers, leaving me to try to pull up the remaining stack. Right before I tried, Alice spoke up from the door to the place which was soon to become the room I had once lived in.

"I heard you were going to be switching companies to Aria Company," Alice said.

"Hahii." I had confirmed

"That's huge news. Big congratulations to you," Alice said.

"Thank you. I hope we can keep practicing together," I said. It was one of the regrets I had for leaving Orange Planet. Outside of the traghetto, I didn't think I had ever seen anybody from two different companies practicing together. I hoped my transfer wouldn't ruin my friendship with Alice.

"I'm sure we can. Athena-sempai said so," Alice said.

Alice grabbed a bulky box, which let me carry the rest of my luggage in both of my arms. It was just low enough that my eyes could peek over the top of the stack.

The three of us walked out, the last time for me, and proceeded down to the visitor dock. Alice's and Lexy's assistance was an immense help. It let me bring everything down in one trip. Another person assisting would have been an immense help, but I was able to just manage the rest on my own.

Athena and Alicia were both there at the visitor's dock waiting for me. They stood by the gleaming white gondola which I could only assume Alicia had used to come to Orange Planet. When they saw me, Alicia walked over and relieved me of the top half of my burden. It was a good thing it was Alicia and not Athena. As sweet as Athena was, she was usually incredibly clumsy. I could imagine the box with all my books tumbling over into the crystal clear water of the port as Athena tottered for safe footing.

Athena held the boat steady as I first placed my things, then took the stack from Alicia and placed them on top, then took the boxes from Alice and Lexi and settled them in as well. I could feel the boat settling into the water as the weight piled in.

"Is that everything?"

"Hahii." I took a seat in the passenger area.

"Do you want to row?" Alicia asked.

"Haa?" My heart caught in my throat. It would be the first time I had ever piloted a glistening white gondola. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Ara ara. It's okay. Why don't you pilot us home."

I stood up again and moved to the back of the gondola. Alicia took my place where I had previously been sitting. I tentatively picked up the oar. It was the same as the practice oars I had used day after day, but it somehow felt sacred in my arms now.

"Have a nice trip," Athena said. Alice and Lexy echoed the same sentiment.

"I'm going," I announced. I then pushed off, leaving Orange Planet and leaving home once again.

I gingerly picked my way through the exit tunnel and through canals of Neo Venezia. The smooth pure paint of Alicia's gondola was spotless, and I could imagine the terrors of accidentally scuffing it on a rough stone walls. My progress was slow but steady. I picked my path with the confidence of a native. It was impossible to be ignorant of the location of Aria Company. It was famous for being the most profitable company by employee count, and for being the place where Snow White was the lone Undine.

It was the most gentle of cruises. The sights and smells and sounds I had long become familiar with surrounded me. The lapping of the water against the gondola. The heavenly smell of baking bread. The Sylphs flying this way and that through the air, occasionally calling out a greeting to me and Alicia. These had become as familiar as the map of the waterways, but that in no way diminished the pleasure. All of the things I had longed for back on Manhome had proved true, and moreover I had discovered more miracles here than I could have imagined.

"Hello." "Are you moving?" "You're switching companies?" The chorus of greetings and questions surrounded me as I rowed through the waterways. I hadn't realized how many wondrous encounters I had had throughout the year. It felt like every corner contained somebody else I had met would say hello to me. Some of them I merely knew by sight, while others were intimately familiar to me. All of them took notice. How could they not? The sight of anybody, especially a non-uniformed person, rowing Snow White must have been remarkable.

I emerged from the defined canals into a large port, and Aria Company came into view against the picturesque backdrop. The sun hung low on the horizon just off the side of the building, casting the whole area in a tangerine light. The building was a small two-story house, with the second floor being wider than the first. The pointed roof gave the building an appearance similar to that of a squat rocket. A spiral staircase lead from the dock to the second floor, ending at a small gate to prevent an accidental tumble down. A small sign hung beneath the second floor next to the drawn shutters which, when open, would welcome both the bay and any visitors to the place. It proudly proclaimed the building.

"ARIA COMPANY"

I pulled the gondola up to the dock, being as careful as I could to not bump against it. I then reached out with my arm and grabbed the palina before stepping off with one foot to brace the boat against drifting away. Alicia probably didn't need it. I couldn't even feel the shift as she stepped to the shore.

It was only once Alicia was firmly on land that I followed behind her to disembark as well.

"Welcome home," Alicia said.

It was incredible. It was overwhelming. It was many things.

I was now home.

Author's Notes:

That bittersweet moment when a story is completed. Each time it's a bit different, and a bit the same. It's both incredibly satisfying as well as a bit sad.

This story proved to be quite an interesting writing experience. It may be the first time I've written a story in which there is no plot as such, and no specific schedule or timer driving action. It is merely a slice of life style exploration of people and activities, not unlike Aria itself.

Creating an ending of this story was tricky, and in some ways obvious as well. I'm firmly of the opinion that stories should have a conclusion, and the lack of a plot made designing such a thing difficult. I can only really think of three potential ends. I can imagine Akari giving up being an Undine, I can imagine Akari becoming a Prima within Orange Planet, and I can imagine Akari leaving Orange Planet to join another company. Of those three, I felt like it was most appropriate for her to join Alicia, bringing this story somewhat in alignment to Aria canon and the world that President Aria sees.

I actually find it a bit sad that Aika and Akira didn't really make an appearance in this story. I tried to find a good excuse why the heir to Hime-ya would appear and be interested in Akari, but couldn't find a plausible reason. It may be for the best. I wanted Akari's change of venue in this alternative Neo Venezia to have real impacts, and if Aika were a regular character it may have been too similar to canon.

Thus the proverbial curtains close on the story of Akari of the Orange Planet. Regardless of what happens next, she is now Akari of the Aria Company. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before Akari meets Aika, and resumes her long journey to becoming a Prima. Regardless, this is where we take our leave.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. Please come back again some day.

Last Updated: July 20, 2017