– CHAPTER TWELVE –

  SEVEN YEARS

  The other room seemed to be a large hangar with white walls.

  As they walked in, fluorescent lights lit up gradually, revealing the full dimension of that place.

  As soon as she entered and saw everything that was inside that room, Americ-Ana had the impression that the place looked like a mixture of dealership and vehicle factory, but without the machines and paraphernalia that built them.

  Instead of cars, there was a type of transport that resembled an automobile, but without wheels. It was as if it were a minivan built out of transparent glass.

  It was possible to see the inside of those vehicles.

  Inside, there were six armchairs arranged in an oval shape, and one chair at the center, which had in front of it an object that resembled a computer.

  The entire room was filled with those singular vehicles.

  That place seemed to be a station or a terminal.

  Seth walked toward the center of that place, with everyone following behind him. He stopped and said:

  "Welcome to the KING MatNat History Museum."

  "I know many of you are used to ordinary museums, in the common world, where you can only see, hear, and read about historical artifacts, works of art, portraits, and paintings."

  "But here, at the KING MatNat History Museum, we have these capsules," Seth approached one of the vehicles, "called Jump Kairos Trip, which allow for a holographic journey through time."

  "When you enter these capsules, you'll be taken directly to the exact moment in history when a particular event took place."

  "I’ll give you an example." Seth looked up, flipped through the papers on his clipboard, and then said:

  "In the common world, there is the painting of the Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, displayed at the Louvre Museum."

  "There, you can only see the painting, read and hear about it and its creator."

  "But here, at the KING MatNat History Museum, you can step into a Jump Kairos Trip, type in the desired year and location into the central computer, and make a journey through time, where you'll be able not only to see Leonardo da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa, but also to talk with him and ask questions, while watching, in real time, the creation of his most famous work."

  Everyone stood wide-eyed.

  Americ-Ana imagined what it would be like to speak with someone so important who had been dead for so many years. More than that, to travel through time and have direct access to that person.

  Seth went on:

  "It’s not only the works of art and their creators that you’ll have the chance to access through a Jump Kairos Trip."

  "Through one of them, it’s also possible to travel back to historical moments and events, like, for example, the exact moment when the TITANIC struck an iceberg, or even the moment when America was discovered."

  With every word Seth spoke, someone in the group could be heard gasping or whispering, in a low voice, things like "incredible," "magnificent," and "splendid."

  "Now, before anything else," Seth continued, "you will have access to special clothing so you can enter the Jump Kairos Trip and travel through time. On our right are the wardrobes, lockers, and fitting rooms."

  "Please, choose a jumpsuit. And do not forget that all outfits are adaptable to any body type, which means there are no sizes. Get dressed and place your gala clothes inside the locker."

  "While you travel through time, your gala outfits and other belongings will be cleaned and dried, because when you return, or when almost all of you return, you will need to put them back on and then either proceed, or not, to Equal One Zero Academy."

  Nioh Nemmesis raised his hand, coughed discreetly, took a sip from the syrup flask, and asked:

  "Excuse me, sir, but what do you mean by 'when almost all of us return' and 'either proceed, or not, to Equal One Zero Academy'?"

  "Excellent question. I promise to answer it as soon as you return. Now please, head to the wardrobe, take off your gala outfits, place them inside the locker, put on the special jumpsuit, and return here," said Seth.

  Everyone moved toward a large panel on the right side of the room, where there were several cabins and fitting rooms.

  While Poppandacorn stayed with Seth at the center of the room, Americ-Ana walked toward one of the cabins.

  The cabin was an oval-shaped space that looked like an ordinary closet.

  Americ-Ana stepped inside, and there was a white self-adjusting jumpsuit waiting for her.

  On the back of the garment, there was a large Novaxtraai logo.

  Americ-Ana took off her Dior Vénus dress, placed it into a door labeled "locker," and put on the jumpsuit.

  The piece adjusted itself automatically.

  As soon as she wore it, her name appeared in small neon letters on the front.

  Americ-Ana stepped out of the cabins area. As she was about to rejoin the others, she saw Thor, Jessie, and Donnie walking toward the cabins. Thor had his right hand bandaged, and Donnie had a bandage on his nose.

  As she approached, Americ-Ana received a hug from Poppandacorn, who had already made friends with Seth.

  "Mommy! You took an eternity. I missed you so much!" said the plush robot as it clung to Americ-Ana’s neck.

  Seth picked up the clipboard again and started flipping through it, saying:

  "Now that everyone is here, I’m going to share some valuable information, and I need you to pay very close attention. That includes answering your questions, boy," Seth said, pointing at Nioh Nemmesis.

  Seth flipped through the notes once more on the clipboard, bit the pen, scratched his head, and said:

  "Alright, let’s do this. I’m going to hand out a text to each of you. I’ll read the information from the page, and I need you to follow along with me. You, question boy, help me out, please, and hand a copy of this sheet to each student here."

  Seth grabbed a stack of papers and gave it to Nioh, who began distributing them to everyone in the room.

  Each person now had a copy in hand.

  Then Seth cleared his throat, tapped the pen twice against the clipboard, and said:

  "Okay, here we go. Welcome... blah blah blah... to the KING MatNat Cycle..." He paused, looking confused at the top of the sheet. "Wow, who wrote this in such tiny handwriting?"

  Seth narrowed his eyes, turned the sheet upside down, then sideways.

  "Ah, there it is. Got it now."

  Seth took a deep breath, as if about to begin a grand ceremony, and read:

  "You have just been officially accepted as a student of Equal One Zero."

  He paused dramatically and looked around, as if expecting a round of applause. Nothing.

  "Wow... colder than a cemetery, huh? Anyway..."

  "From now on, your academic journey will be divided into two stages: High School and College."

  One of the girls raised her hand from the back. Seth pointed with his pen.

  "Yes, go ahead, you with the half-metaverse red hair."

  "What exactly is High School? Like... is that the part before college?"

  Seth nodded energetically.

  "Exactly. High School is like... the juvenile prison of knowledge. Four years. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior. In other words: year one, year two, year three, year four. Each year, you'll find out you knew even less than you thought you did. Wonderful, right?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "And College?"

  "College is the university part. Three years. And the difference here is that you can already start working anywhere in THE-IMPERIUM while you study. Like... internships, carrying folders, that kind of thing."

  Someone laughed. Seth pretended not to notice.

  "In total, you're going to spend seven years inside. That’s it. Just like the number of perfection, creation, total chaos. Or your mom trying to use the internet," he muttered, scratching his neck, a bit confused.

  Seth flipped two more sheets on the clipboard, dropped one on the floor, and gently kicked it aside.

  "Anyway, that’s it. You’re in. For now. But don’t get too excited... there’s still plenty of room for things to go terribly wrong."

  Seth glanced at the page, frowned, turned the clipboard sideways, and muttered:

  "Okay, now comes a kind of bureaucratic part... but important, so pretend you're paying attention, alright?"

  Seth cleared his throat and read:

  "The selection for Equal One Zero Academy begins with an application. Being approved in this stage does not guarantee the immediate start of your studies."

  He paused, staring at everyone.

  "In other words... just because you got called, doesn’t mean you’re in. It’s like being invited to a party, but still needing to get past three dragons, a bottomless pit, and a riddle just to reach the door. Got it?"

  A voice came from the corner:

  "So we’re not officially in yet?"

  Seth shrugged.

  "You’re kind of in. It’s like modern dating... you’re 'seeing where it goes.' Equal One Zero has multiple phases. Phase One was the Initiation. You went through it, at least those of you who are here, right?"

  Seth flipped through a few more pages, letting one slip. Nioh Nemmesis quickly picked it up and handed it back.

  "Thank you, unwilling assistant. Moving on..."

  "If you had failed the Initiation, it wouldn’t be the end. You would just have to wait for the next school year and try again. The difference is, you don’t start everything from scratch. You pick up exactly where you left off."

  Someone in the back raised their hand.

  "So you can repeat? Like... repeat a stage?"

  Seth smiled, but it was that smile halfway between sarcasm and empathy.

  "Yes, you can. This place is fairer than the common world. You fail, but you don’t lose everything. Still, you don’t gain anything either until you prove you deserve it. Welcome to the cycle, baby."

  Seth held up the sheet and pointed at it with his pen.

  "Opera summary: passed the Initiation? You move forward. Failed? Try again next year. The spot is still yours... but it won’t come chasing after you."

  Seth clicked his tongue and muttered, as if only to himself:

  "Alright, now comes the crazy time-travel part. Breathe, Seth... pretend you know what you’re doing."

  Seth raised the clipboard with an air of improvised solemnity.

  "Okay, folks. The next stop on your journey is... cue the imaginary drumroll... the KING MatNat History Museum!"

  Seth gave a small bow, as if expecting applause. Someone coughed. He went on:

  "This museum is not like a regular museum, where you stare at a sword behind glass and walk away pretending you learned something. Here, you step into history. Literally."

  Someone whispered "literally?", and Seth pointed with his pen.

  "Literally. As in, ‘hi, I’m you visiting the past.’ You’re going to be sent into real historical periods, but with one little twist: you won’t know which period until you’re already there. Surprise!"

  Seth grabbed a crumpled sheet, unfolded it in three parts, and read:

  "The museum is divided into seven sections. Each one corresponds to one of the seven years you'll spend here at Equal One Zero Academy. Every year, one section of the museum is unlocked. And along with it, a new wing of the academy also opens up to you."

  A girl raised her hand.

  "What do you mean by 'open a wing'? Can’t we walk around the whole academy?"

  Seth shook his head.

  "Nope. Nothing’s free around here. Each mission completed in the museum unlocks a new part of Equal One Zero Academy. If you don’t pass the mission, you stay locked in the previous wing. Like a video game with a closed gate."

  Another voice asked:

  "And what if we can’t pass?"

  Seth let out a nervous chuckle and scratched his neck.

  "Then you wait for the next school year and try again. It’s not the end of the world. It’s just... frustrating, lonely, and basically you’ll watch your classmates move forward while you stay behind. But other than that, you’re fine."

  Some laughed. Others swallowed hard. Seth looked up and smiled.

  "But look... if you’ve made it this far, it’s because you have potential. So let’s make it count."

  Seth raised the crumpled sheet and turned his back, as if about to throw an imaginary ball.

  "Ready to mess with time?"

  Seth took a deep breath, sneezed, slapped the sheet against his leg, and said:

  "Now comes the part that sounds like science fiction… but it’s not. I mean, almost, but I swear it works."

  Seth paused dramatically, then announced, with both hands raised:

  "JUMP KAIROS TRIP."

  Silence.

  "It’s the name of the time capsule. Sounds like an energy drink, right? But it’s not. It’s the thing that’s going to take you straight into the museum mission."

  Seth held up the sheet, turned it upside down, then corrected it.

  "Here’s how it works. You enter the capsule and bam, you’re launched into a specific historical period. But you won’t know where you’re going. It’s all random. I mean, random for you... someone up there probably knows what they’re doing. I think."

  Someone raised a hand.

  "Like… we’re going to wake up in ancient Rome or something?"

  "Exactly. Could be Egypt, could be feudal Japan, could be... some place with open sewers and people shouting ‘milord!’ in the street. Who knows."

  Seth flipped the page and read:

  "As soon as the trip begins, a riddle appears on the capsule screen. That riddle is the key. It tells you what you have to do in that time period. And then the challenge begins."

  "But what if we get it wrong?" asked a boy from the corner.

  Seth raised an eyebrow.

  "Get it wrong? Well... you might be arrested. You might be decapitated. You might be burned alive as a heretic. But it’s all symbolic, okay? Like… mostly symbolic."

  Some of the students looked at each other. Seth quickly added:

  "Just kidding. I mean... yes, all of that can happen. But it’s just holography. Hurts only your pride."

  Seth pointed at two boys sitting together.

  "You two shared a cell during the Initiation, right? Then you’re going together in the same JKT. That’s how it works. Whoever kept their duality goes with it. Whoever betrayed it goes alone. Deal with it."

  "And what if we succeed?" someone asked.

  Seth smiled.

  "If you manage to solve the riddle and do what needs to be done, the capsule reappears, you get inside, and return to the museum. Then... bam, first wing of Equal One Zero unlocked."

  "And if we fail?"

  "You wait for the next year and try again. The mission stays frozen at that point, but everything you’ve earned so far remains."

  Seth tossed a sheet into the air, picked another off the floor, and wrapped up:

  "And oh, one more thing. Each mission is individual. Even if two students are experiencing the 'same era', each holographic reality is unique, like a fingerprint. Which means... yes, there will be multiple versions of the same historical event. Life goes on."

  Silence.

  "Any questions?"

  "All of them," said one of the students.

  "Perfect. That means everyone’s on the right path."

  Seth gave one last flip through the crumpled pages, as if checking whether he had forgotten anything.

  "Oh! A few more things before I forget. Pay attention, because this is serious."

  Seth held up a scribbled sheet and read with theatrical emphasis:

  "This mission is confidential. No student is allowed to discuss the content of their journey with others. It is strictly forbidden to bring back any item or object from the places you visit, under penalty of having the journey invalidated."

  Seth made a suspenseful face and looked over the rim of imaginary glasses.

  "In other words: lips sealed. No 'oh, I went to Babylon and danced with priestesses' or 'I saw Jesus multiplying bread and swapped the fish for sushi.' No. Each mission is unique. Each experience is yours. And let’s be honest, nobody wants time-travel spoilers."

  Seth raised a finger like a lawyer in court.

  "It’s also important to remember that the JKT only shows up again after the mission is completed. So there’s no use crying, fasting, or praying for the capsule to return if you haven’t done what you were supposed to do."

  A student whispered to a classmate:

  "What if someone can’t figure out the riddle?"

  Seth pointed as if he’d been waiting for that question his whole life.

  "Welcome to life. But... the riddle has an answer. It always does. It just won’t come for free. Sometimes it’s something you have to feel. Other times, something you need to observe. And sometimes... it’s just pure luck. But when you get it right, you’ll know."

  Seth snapped his fingers and smiled.

  "And then, when everything goes well, you come back, unlock your next wing at Equal One Zero and ... TA-DA! ... you climb one more step in your cycle."

  Seth closed the clipboard with force, nearly sending half the papers flying.

  "Done. We’re finished. I survived the reading, and so did you. If you understood everything... congratulations. If you understood nothing... well, you’re in the right place. Equal One Zero loves confused people with potential."

  Seth looked at the students, smiled for real for the first time, and concluded:

  "Good luck, academics. From now on, it’s just you, the capsule, and time."

  Americ-Ana looked around for Wwwyye and Astyam among the others. Both were already waiting for her beside a Jump Kairos Trip.

  Despite the white Novaxtraai jumpsuit, Wwwyye hadn’t let go of her pink top hat, and Astyam still carried his signature accessory: the nasal spray inseparable.

  The transparent glass door opened.

  Everyone stepped in.

  Poppandacorn sat in the center seat, the one with the computer panel in front of it.

  "The system requires the reading of the initiates' key," Poppandacorn announced.

  Astyam took the key and handed it to the plush robot, who inserted it into the keyhole beside the display.

  A robotic voice announced:

  "Welcome, triad of the dualities Boaz, Yin, and Eve."

  Poppandacorn read the screen, which had changed after the key was inserted.

  "The journey is already programmed."

  Americ-Ana, Astyam, and Wwwyye stepped closer to the screen. Written on it were the words:

  *Destination: to be revealed.

  *Mission: decipher the riddle.

  *Time: uncertain.

  *Status: pending.

  Then, the door of the Jump Kairos Trip closed.

  Poppandacorn activated the alert and said:

  "Attention, all passengers! Please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts."

  The plush robot projected a pirate hat onto his head and a small parrot onto his shoulder. As the capsule lifted off the ground, he pretended to be piloting a large ship.

  Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam were already in their seats, fastening their belts.

  The sensation inside the Jump Kairos Trip was one of floating. Moments later, the transparent glass that allowed them to see outside was suddenly covered by a blinding white light.

  The capsule began to shake, like an airplane passing through turbulence.

  Then, the white flash was replaced by outer space.

  Everyone inside the capsule could see planet Earth in the distance, growing smaller and smaller.

  They passed the Moon and kept going.

  Then, the panel with the computer in front of the central seat began to flash, followed by a robotic voice that said:

  "Destination: set."

  "Mission: revealed."

  "Time: 29 seconds."

  "Status: pending."

  Poppandacorn read aloud what had appeared on the screen:

  "Attention, all passengers! Our destination is 966 B.C. The mission riddle says: 'When the beard rests between the owl and the rooster, the Mystery that dwells at the beginning of night and the end of day shall be revealed.'"

  Then, the inside of the capsule began to shake more and more violently. They felt as if their bodies were being projected forward.

  Suddenly, a countdown formed on the panel screen. Poppandacorn began reading the numbers aloud as they appeared:

  "Attention, everyone! Hold on tight! Countdown:"

  "Seven."

  "Six."

  "Five."

  "Four."

  "Three."

  "Two."

  "One."

  A bright light appeared once again. The capsule was launched at the speed of light toward Earth.

  There was a loud crash, like thunder tearing through the sky.

  Then, they felt the capsule had landed.

  Through the transparent glass, all they could see was dust.

  The robotic voice spoke once more:

  "Attention, academics! Make sure you have written down the riddle and exit the Jump Kairos Trip. Estimated return: when the riddle is solved and the destination, assimilated. Wishing you all a great adventure!"

  Then, the door of the Jump Kairos Trip opened, and a thick cloud of dust swept over everything.