THE KING MATNAT SPHERE
Upon entering the Thoth Precinct, the Chancellor and Americ-Ana, holding Poppandacorn, went straight to the reception desk. They took a number and, shortly after, were called.
"Fac Foedus. How may I assist you?"
"Fac Foedus. We’ve come to collect the belongings that once belonged to Helena Blavatsky and transfer them to the custody of the new scholarship recipient."
"You are the new scholarship recipient, Americ-Ana."
"Yes, sir, officer."
"That wasn’t a question. It was a statement. You're on every major media outlet across THE-IMPERIUM. Everyone wants access to your recipes. Your face, those markings, and your outfit have already become a trend among the youth."
"YAY!!! MOMMY IS FAMOUS!!!" shouted Poppandacorn, drawing the attention of everyone in the precinct. Americ-Ana instinctively covered the robot's mouth, blushing.
"You will need to take the elevator, go down to the Property Room floor, and enter the Cryptakashic. There you will find what you're looking for. But first I must scan everyone's codes. That includes the little robot. I will also need the official letter from the Academy headmistress to archive."
The Chancellor pulled a folder of documents from inside her mouth and handed it to the officer.
He then scanned the Chancellor’s wrist, Americ-Ana’s QR Codes, and Poppandacorn’s foot, where a barcode had been printed on the sole of his right foot.
They all entered the elevator. An elderly gentleman was the operator. At his inquiry, the Chancellor handed over the document signed by the police officer.
Then, the elevator descended to the Property Room floor.
The elevator doors opened. The operator said only, "Good luck."
The Chancellor, Americ-Ana, and Poppandacorn stepped out. The doors closed... and the elevator disappeared from sight.
"Scared," said Poppandacorn, lighting the built-in lanterns in his eyes.
The environment was dimly lit. The Chancellor pointed to the floor, where directional arrows had been painted.
They followed a long, narrow hallway. They walked for about five minutes, until they reached the end.
The corridor opened into a large room with black walls.
Inside, there was a little girl in a red dress, with two large bows tied into her hair. She sat on a blue velvet divan. On her lap rested a large white rabbit. She observed the Chancellor, Americ-Ana, and Poppandacorn with calm, focused eyes, gently stroking the rabbit as they moved.
The three of them stopped in front of the little girl. The Chancellor then said:
"Fac Foedus, honey. We would like access to Helena Blavatsky’s Cryptakashic."
The little girl stood up.
"Fac Foedus! Welcome. I am Lady Puellula, and this is my kingdom. You must be tired after walking through that long hallway." She gestured to the divan behind her. "Would you like to sit down for a moment and rest?"
"Yay! I'm tired!" said Poppandacorn, walking toward the divan. But he was held back by the Chancellor.
"NO!" the Chancellor shouted, pulling the robot by the arm. "We’re not tired, honey. Everything’s fine, thank you. We just want access to the Cryptakashic."
Lady Puellula ignored the Chancellor’s reply and approached Americ-Ana. She stood before her, stretched out her arms with the rabbit, and said:
"Hold my rabbit. He's very cuddly."
Americ-Ana looked suspiciously at the Chancellor, who had a tense expression, but gave a small nod.
Americ-Ana took the rabbit and began stroking its head. The animal started rubbing its pink nose against her arm.
"Look, Mommy! He likes you. So cute!" observed Poppandacorn.
Suddenly, Lady Puellula’s face darkened when she noticed her rabbit had taken a liking to Americ-Ana. She pouted and yanked the rabbit from her arms.
"He's mine!" said Lady Puellula, her voice sharp with anger.
She turned away, the rabbit in her arms, and walked toward a security railing behind the divan.
The Chancellor followed her and gave a small nod, signaling Americ-Ana and Poppandacorn to come along.
When they reached Lady Puellula, the three of them saw a labyrinth built inside a vast, circular pit. It was deep and dimly lit.
Beyond the zigzagging walls that shaped the path of the labyrinth, there was an even taller wall dividing it into two sections.
Lady Puellula stretched out her arms with the rabbit... and threw it into the labyrinth.
"NO!" cried Americ-Ana, trying to catch the rabbit. But it was too late. It had already fallen.
"Did it die?" asked Poppandacorn.
They all leaned over the safety railing, trying to see what had happened to the rabbit.
"He's fine," said Lady Puellula, pointing to the rabbit, which had just reappeared into view.
"But not for long," she added, raising a remote control and pressing a button. A gate on the side of the labyrinth opened.
From the darkness beyond the gate, Americ-Ana saw eyes glowing green, and large yellow fangs.
Slowly, emerging from the shadows, a massive black panther entered the labyrinth.
"Tell me... will the rabbit live or die?" asked Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana panicked.
"What are you doing?! Give me that remote!" she screamed, grabbing Lady Puellula’s arm to reach the device. She managed to seize it and began pressing the buttons frantically, but none of them worked.
Lady Puellula pulled out another remote, hidden inside the sleeve of her dress.
"You think I don't have control over this situation?" she said, locking eyes with Americ-Ana.
"Madam Chancellor, do something! Please! Help!" Americ-Ana cried, turning to the Chancellor.
"Just answer me... will the rabbit live or die?" Lady Puellula repeated.
"He's gonna die! He's gonna die! He's gonna die!" Poppandacorn began shouting, pointing at the panther approaching the rabbit.
"Madam Chancellor, please, do something! Stop this!" begged Americ-Ana, clutching the Chancellor’s hands.
"He's gonna die! He's gonna die! He's gonna die!" Poppandacorn repeated, his rhythm growing more frantic.
"Okay, honey. She wants an answer. Taking her control away won’t help," said the Chancellor, looking around, as if searching for something invisible.
"He's gonna die! He's gonna die! He's gonna die!" the robot screamed, while the panther ran through the labyrinth, sniffing out its prey.
"Madam Chancellor... please. Don’t let it die. Do something..." Americ-Ana started to cry, pleading.
"Okay, honey... I don’t think there’s a right answer to this," the Chancellor murmured, disoriented, trying to find a truth that didn’t fit into logic.
"He's gonna die! He's gonna die! He's gonna die!" Poppandacorn kept shouting, pointing at the panther that snarled and drooled, just one wall away from the rabbit.
"He’s gonna live! He’s gonna live!" screamed the Chancellor in despair, staring directly at Lady Puellula.
Lady Puellula pressed a button on the remote, and in the middle of the great wall that divided the labyrinth in two, a small door opened.
Within seconds, the rabbit darted through the door to the other side. The panther lunged, but couldn’t reach it. The rabbit was already far, inside the second maze.
Then, Lady Puellula pressed another button. Two gates opened. From within, two panthers emerged, fangs bared, saliva dripping. They began racing through the labyrinth, hunting the rabbit.
One of the panthers was faster than the other, trying to snatch the prey first and keep the whole meal to itself.
"This can’t be..." said Americ-Ana, crying, both hands clutching her head.
"But what? My answer was wrong?!" asked the Chancellor, distressed, looking at Lady Puellula.
"Second chance. Will the rabbit live or die?" asked Lady Puellula, raising the remote.
"He's gonna die! He's gonna die! He's gonna die!" Poppandacorn began shouting again.
The panthers were racing through the labyrinth, ready to strike at the slightest movement.
The rabbit twitched its little nose and patted its head with a paw, innocent.
"He's gonna die! He's gonna die! He's gonna die!" screamed Poppandacorn, jumping and pointing at the rabbit. The panthers were just centimeters away.
"Please! Do something!" cried Americ-Ana, hands pressed to her chest, as if praying for a divine intervention.
Lady Puellula raised the remote once more.
"Will the rabbit live or die?"
Then the Chancellor screamed:
"Both! Both! He will live and he will die! He will live and he will die!" she shouted, frantic.
The Chancellor, Americ-Ana, and Poppandacorn stared at the rabbit in suspense. The panthers had already seen it and were preparing to pounce.
Then, Lady Puellula pressed the button.
Both panthers leapt at once, trying to sink their teeth into the rabbit.
But it was too late.
Beneath the rabbit, a hatch opened, and it vanished.
The two panthers collided mid-air.
Lady Puellula looked at the Chancellor and said:
"Correct answer."
"How?" asked Americ-Ana, not understanding.
Lady Puellula replied calmly:
"As long as neither panther leapt upon the rabbit and devoured it, both realities existed. The reality of the dead rabbit... and the reality of the living one. In other words, the rabbit would live... and would die."
Lady Puellula pressed the button again. A new little door opened beside the security railing. Inside, the rabbit appeared, walking toward the light. Lady Puellula picked it up gently and handed it to Americ-Ana.
"Your Poppandacorn is right. He likes you."
Then Lady Puellula turned to the Chancellor.
"I need the authorization signed by the police officer, and a copy of the letter from the Academy’s headmistress. If you have those documents in hand, I will take you to the desired Cryptakashic."
The Chancellor opened her mouth and pulled out a folder of documents, handing it to Lady Puellula.
Lady Puellula took out a pair of special glasses, the same kind Americ-Ana had seen on the streets, on her way to the store Poopghene. She read the contents in silence.
"Everything is in order. Please, follow me."
She turned and disappeared down a corridor. The Chancellor followed. Americ-Ana, holding the rabbit in her arms, followed as well. Poppandacorn came after. They walked through a dim corridor. After nearly three minutes of walking, they reached another large room with black walls.
There were red doors of all sizes. Some were so small that only a ladybug could pass through. Others were so large they could support the structure of an elephant.
Lady Puellula turned to the Chancellor.
"Are you carrying the secret to the Cryptakashic?"
"Yes, honey. Just a moment." The Chancellor opened her mouth and pulled out a small filing cabinet.
She opened a drawer, flipped through the documents quickly, and said:
"Found it. ‘H’ for Helena. Here it is, honey." She handed a small vial containing a blood sample to Lady Puellula.
Lady Puellula took the vial, opened it, and sniffed the blood inside. As she inhaled, it seemed she was drawing answers through scent.
"Interesting. Very interesting. Interesting and curious. Okay. Door number 1.122.131. That one right there," she said, pointing the way.
"What’s interesting?" asked the Chancellor.
"This Cryptakashic you seek was corrupted many years ago."
"What do you mean, corrupted?" asked the Chancellor.
"This Cryptakashic is an almost-dead file. That means it contains information within, but it has no name. Its name was corrupted long ago."
"But the vial I gave you belonged to Helena Blavatsky. Shouldn't the Cryptakashic be called Helena Blavatsky?" asked the Chancellor.
"You’re right. This vial did belong to the user with the codename Helena Blavatsky. But this sample tells me that what she left behind as an inheritance, being the first scholarship recipient of Equal One Zero Academy, is inside this corrupted Cryptakashic," said Lady Puellula, pointing toward door 1.122.131.
The Chancellor furrowed her brow and asked:
"But if the content Helena Blavatsky left behind is in this corrupted Cryptakashic, then where is the Cryptakashic named Helena Blavatsky?"
"It’s in the dead file. That means it has a name, as you said. But it holds no content."
Lady Puellula turned to Americ-Ana.
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"May I see your index finger, please?"
Americ-Ana extended the finger of her left hand. Lady Puellula took it… and bit down.
"Aaahhh!" cried Americ-Ana.
"Don't hurt Mommy!" said Poppandacorn.
But Lady Puellula paid no attention. She pulled Americ-Ana’s finger and squeezed it into the vial until a drop of blood fell inside.
"Now you must press the blood from your finger onto the doorposts. First on the right side. Then the left. Then the top. Only then will you be able to access the Cryptakashic and claim it as the heir of Helena Blavatsky."
Americ-Ana placed the rabbit on the ground and touched her wounded finger to the right, then the left, then the upper edge of the door.
When the rite was complete, the lock gave a sharp click and the door opened.
Lady Puellula motioned with her hand, indicating that Americ-Ana should go in first.
Americ-Ana stepped inside, followed by the Chancellor and Poppandacorn. Once they had all crossed through, Lady Puellula entered as well and closed the door behind them.
Inside, Americ-Ana found herself before an open landscape, with a clear horizon and blue sky.
In the distance stood a structure made of thin, vertical crystal rods, placed so close together they formed the silhouette of a container.
Surrounding the structure was a vast field of red tulips, and a brick road led from the door to the container.
"Is there an Ophanim inside?" asked the Chancellor.
"No. He is on a mission in the upper levels of the precinct," answered Lady Puellula, already walking along the brick road and motioning for the others to follow.
Inside the crystal container, there was an altar at the center, also made of crystal. Upon it, an object shaped like a small cube.
Lady Puellula gestured for Americ-Ana to approach the altar.
Americ-Ana stepped forward and faced the object.
"This is the Seractcube. Everything that once belonged to the codename Helena Blavatsky is now being passed on to you, Americ-Ana Delsilva, on the tenth day of the lion, during the eighth lunation of the solar cycle of 2024, when the Sun, at the seventeenth hour, shines at degree seventeen, aligning with the twilight portal of the feline constellation."
Lady Puellula signaled that Americ-Ana should hold the cube. She picked up the object. It was a cube within another cube, with their edges connected by thin, transparent rods that shifted between appearing solid and intangible. The object seemed to float, one cube suspended inside the other.
Then, suddenly, the interior of the crystal container rotated 360 degrees, revealing smaller containers all around.
Americ-Ana placed the cube back on the altar and walked toward one of the smaller containers.
It was labeled: Dior 1947.
It looked like a boutique display window, with mannequins dressed in pieces from the collection.
Americ-Ana looked at the Chancellor, then at Lady Puellula.
"May I go inside this container?" she asked.
"Of course you may. Everything here now belongs to you," answered Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana brought her hands to her mouth, speechless. She looked at the Chancellor for confirmation, who answered with a wide smile and a nod.
Americ-Ana stepped into the Dior 1947 container.
At the center stood a mannequin with a plaque: Full Tailleur Bar, wearing a white fitted jacket and a flared black skirt.
Around it, cocktail dresses, afternoon dresses with floral prints, and an exclusive section of evening gowns.
In another area, a space dedicated entirely to handbags, gloves, and shoes.
"Mommy, try one of these on!" said Poppandacorn, pointing to the central mannequin.
"Go on, try it, honey!" encouraged the Chancellor.
Americ-Ana walked to the fitting room, placed her denim bunny outfit into her backpack, and got dressed. She wore a cream jacket, a flared black skirt reaching her calves, white gloves, shiny black patent leather shoes, and a hat with a veil. Around her neck, a satin choker with a golden pendant.
When she stepped out of the fitting room, she was greeted with applause, cheers, and whistles from the Chancellor and Poppandacorn.
"Mommy, you're glowing!" said Poppandacorn.
"Honey, you look stunning!" exclaimed the Chancellor, placing her hands on Americ-Ana’s shoulders and guiding her toward a wall mirror.
Americ-Ana gazed at her reflection. She had never worn a skirt, a dress, or high heels in her life. Jewelry? Not even in her dreams.
Her eyes drifted down from the shoes to the necklace. But when she looked at her face... She saw the QR Code markings. And something more. She leaned closer to the mirror. She was wearing makeup. Her eyes were lined. Her lips painted. Even under the hat, her hair was styled in an elegant updo.
"I’ve never worn makeup in my life… Look at my hair… Where did all this come from?!" Americ-Ana asked, alarmed.
The Chancellor burst out laughing.
"Although your outfit comes from a 1947 Dior collection, all clothing in THE-IMPERIUM is built with cutting-edge technology. They scan the person’s face and body. Here, honey, our clothes don’t have sizes. They adapt to the body. As for the makeup and hairstyle, they’re part of a memory embedded in the choker around your neck. The jewelry scanned your face and calculated the ideal makeup tone and hairstyle for you. But if you want to change it, just touch it. Watch this."
The Chancellor touched the choker with the tip of her finger. The makeup changed color. She touched it again. Another layer appeared. She tapped the other side of the choker. Americ-Ana’s hair turned blonde.
"Go on. Try it," said the Chancellor, pointing to the spot.
Americ-Ana began tapping the choker, and every shade and style of makeup imaginable passed across her face. The same happened with her hair — from sleek and styled to orange with braids.
Suddenly, when she pressed the choker, Americ-Ana’s hair turned neon green. The Chancellor burst into loud laughter.
Americ-Ana pressed it again — her lips turned green too.
The two of them burst into laughter, laughing so hard they cried.
"Let’s take a picture!" said Poppandacorn.
The Chancellor and Americ-Ana struck a pose in front of the stuffed robot, and its eyes fired a flash.
Then Americ-Ana walked toward another container. Inside, there were three cars.
- A 1947 Cadillac Series 62, metallic burgundy — for daily errands.
- A 1946 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, wine-colored with black fenders — for traveling.
- A 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, deep sapphire blue — for going to school.
"Do all these cars belong to me too?" asked Americ-Ana, incredulous, turning to Lady Puellula.
"Yes. All these vehicles are now yours," answered Lady Puellula.
After much insistence from Poppandacorn, Americ-Ana climbed into each of the cars and struck several poses for photos.
"It’s a shame I don’t know how to drive… or even have the age for it," she remarked, posing inside the deep sapphire blue Bugatti.
"That’s not a problem, honey," replied the Chancellor. "All cars in THE-IMPERIUM, regardless of the year they were made, are equipped with autonomous technology. They drive themselves."
"Mommy is vintage," said Poppandacorn, linking the year of the clothes to the cars.
"Exactly, Poppandacorn." Lady Puellula turned to Americ-Ana. "Since you are the heir of Helena Blavatsky, everything that once belonged to her while she was in THE-IMPERIUM now belongs to you. According to the records I retrieved from the blood vial, Helena attended Equal One Zero Academy in the 1940s. That’s why everything you’ve inherited is vintage, just as Poppandacorn said."
Americ-Ana stepped into another container. Inside, there were all the school supplies one could possibly imagine. Several shelves displayed notebooks with leather covers and golden rods. There were fabric-bound notebooks, scented ones, and even notebooks with edible covers and pages. There were planners for every occasion. One was made especially for school. Another was designed for writing while sitting on the toilet during number two.
Diaries came in every color. Some were black as a black hole. Others sparkled like radiant diamonds. Americ-Ana was delighted by one diary that asked how her day had been. She would answer aloud, and her words appeared transcribed automatically on the page.
There were pens, pencils, and markers of every shape. Some pencils had triangular bodies. Some pens spoke aloud whatever was being written.
Americ-Ana was distracted, examining the inkwell section. One in particular intrigued her. The label said it could be used both as ink and as shampoo for hair.
Suddenly, the Chancellor shouted and came running toward her. Americ-Ana jumped in fright and nearly dropped the inkwell.
"HONEY!!! LOOK AT THIS!" The Chancellor was shouting, holding a journal in her hands. "This is a Smythson Panama diary from 1908. Look at this cover. Calfskin leather. And the binding was done with hand stitching. Do you have any idea how rare this is? Wow, you are incredibly lucky."
"I think we’ve got a paperphile among us," said Poppandacorn, flashing a photo in the Chancellor’s direction.
"You nailed it, honey." The Chancellor smiled. "I simply love paper. Everything that comes with it. Whether it’s a diary, a notebook, a planner, or a book — each piece of paper holds a story or allows one to be told."
She was now caressing the diary as if it were a baby.
"Since everything here is mine..." Americ-Ana said with a timid smile, "you can keep it."
"OH MY GOD, REALLY?!" The Chancellor threw her arms around Americ-Ana. "You’re amazing, honey. Thank you so much. From the bottom of my heart."
Americ-Ana walked over to the next container.
There, she found every type of tool, appliance, and piece of clothing a kitchen could contain. From the simplest objects to the most sophisticated equipment a five-star chef would use.
On a marble countertop, she saw:
*Solingen knives, with silver blades.
*WMF cutlery sets in polished steel.
*Five Sunbeam Mixmaster stand mixers.
Close by, three gray Wedgewood stoves with black detailing. And in the corner, three red Hotpoint refrigerators, each with a single door.
"See, honey?" said the Chancellor. "Just a little while ago, you were worried about not having any supplies to begin your studies. Now you have a complete kitchen."
"Mommy can cook enough food here to feed an entire battalion!" said Poppandacorn, and they all burst into laughter.
Americ-Ana opened every door on the refrigerators, the stoves, the cupboards, and the drawers. Everything was impeccably new, even though it had been manufactured in the mid-1940s. She could swear it had just come out of the factory.
"Thanks to the innovative technology of Novaxtraai, honey, everything you inherited now looks and feels brand new. The clothes. The cars. The school supplies. And everything in this kitchen. It all has the quality of something freshly made. This is because Novaxtraai made breakthroughs not only in the field of genetics and DNA, but also in the field of objects. What motivated the development of this technology, the kind that can be embedded into old materials and make them renew themselves again, was the environmental factor. The nature factor. The recycling factor." The Chancellor offered this explanation in response to the unspoken question Americ-Ana carried in her eyes as she touched each object wondering how everything could seem so untouched by time.
"Your inheritance isn’t over yet," said Lady Puellula, stepping out of the kitchen container and motioning for Americ-Ana to follow her.
Lady Puellula approached the crystal altar and asked:
"Would you like me to bite your finger again, or would you prefer to prick it yourself?"
"I’ll do it, I’ll do it, I’ll do it! Someone help me, please!" said Americ-Ana, terrified at the thought of Lady Puellula sinking her teeth into her finger again.
"Don’t hurt Mommy!" said Poppandacorn, stepping in front of Americ-Ana with his little arms stretched out.
"Here, honey. Use this," said the Chancellor, bringing a knife from the kitchen container.
Americ-Ana pricked her ring finger and let a drop of her blood fall onto the crystal altar, following Lady Puellula’s guidance.
The blood appeared to be absorbed by the crystal.
Then the altar began to move. A fine, luminous crack opened at its center, dividing it into two halves, as if the crystal were being opened from within. From that first slit, a golden light spilled out through the seams. The two lateral halves slowly slid apart, creaking at a frequency nearly imperceptible to the ear. Next, more cracks appeared, like the breaking of an eggshell, and the altar split into nine floating sections. Each part rose into the air and began to rotate.
The light pouring from the center flooded the entire container. Suspended within it, slowly spinning, there emerged a small translucent sphere.
The sphere looked alive. It pulsed. As if it were breathing.
Americ-Ana felt as if her body had become a magnet, drawing the sphere toward her as it floated gently in her direction, radiating light. She extended both hands, and the sphere landed in her palms like a feather drawn by gravity. The moment it touched her skin, several fine red threads appeared inside it. They looked like veins.
The light faded, and Americ-Ana held the sphere as if it were a baby bird.
She felt a hand resting on her right shoulder and across her back.
"Congratulations, honey. You’ve been accepted by the sphere." The Chancellor leaned her head softly against Americ-Ana’s, watching the sphere in her hands.
"Now that the KING MatNat sphere has accepted you, I can say it. Welcome to the era of the games that govern the Universe." Lady Puellula stepped closer, gazing into the heart of the sphere.
Suddenly the moment of silence was abruptly broken by the sound of fireworks. The three of them, Americ-Ana, the Chancellor and Lady Puellula, all jumped at the same time.
Poppandacorn had just set off fireworks that formed the phrase in the air:
"MY MOMMY IS THE GREATEST KING MATNAT PLAYER."
They all burst into laughter together.
Then Lady Puellula looked toward the main container door. The Chancellor's expression changed immediately, and she pushed Americ-Ana behind her with a firm gesture.
When Americ-Ana made a move to ask what was happening, Lady Puellula untied one of her hair bows, which turned into a whip in the blink of an eye.
The Chancellor leapt forward and transformed into a lime-green lioness.
Then, a black blur passed at the speed of light outside the container.
Lady Puellula sprinted after it, cracking the whip.
The Chancellor roared and also took off, charging toward the brick road.
Frightened and confused, Americ-Ana turned to Poppandacorn for answers.
The robot’s eyes displayed, in large red capital letters:
ALERT MODE. DANGER!!!
"Stay behind me, Mommy," said Poppandacorn in a deep voice.
"What happened? What's going on?" asked Americ-Ana.
"Activating bodyguard mode," he replied, raising his little arms into a shield position.
Three minutes had passed since the Chancellor and Lady Puellula had dashed out. Poppandacorn, now calmer, had downgraded his status to: SITUATION UNDER CONTROL.
"What happened? Where did they go?" Americ-Ana insisted.
"My sensors detected high levels of adrenaline and cortisol. There was a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Diagnosis: ALERT STATE. DANGER," Poppandacorn explained.
Slowly, Poppandacorn walked toward the main container door. Americ-Ana followed closely behind him.
Once outside, Poppandacorn activated his full-scan vision. His head rotated 360 degrees, scanning every corner around them. Almost at the end of the rotation, his sensors went off. Something had been detected.
Hesitantly, Americ-Ana peeked out of the container. But what she saw… wasn’t what she expected.
The entire field of red tulips had vanished. In its place, there was now a vast field of daisies, surrounding the crystal container like a living tapestry.
Poppandacorn was among the daisies. He seemed to have found something. Carefully, he crouched down and picked up an object. He trotted back to Americ-Ana, his little hands extended.
"Look, Mommy. I found something," he said, offering what he was carrying.
It was a blue leather-bound book. In the center of the cover, a golden tree was embossed in high relief.
Americ-Ana took the book carefully. On the cover, there was an indecipherable inscription:
ZGXF *
ZD *
XDXA *
XAXC *
XI *
XA *
ZI *
ZIXG *
XIXF *
XBXD *
ZD *
XDXA *
XDXH *
XDXA *
XHXF *
XA *
ZA *
XDXH *
XA *
ZIXD *
XA *
ZGXF *
XAXKXIXG *
XFXE *
ZIXG
With her heart racing, Americ-Ana opened the book. She slowly flipped through the first pages. It was entirely written with the same symbols that appeared on the cover. The pages were yellowed and worn. Some of them were stuck together.
"What are these symbols?" she asked Poppandacorn.
Poppandacorn took the book again. He ran his scanning vision over the cover, then opened the book and flipped through a few pages, his eyes still analyzing.
"Undecipherable symbols, Mommy. I’m sorry. It appears to be an encrypted code. If you want, I can attempt a new reading after running some research. Would you like that, Mommy?"
Suddenly, they heard the sound of thunder ripping through the sky.
"ALERT MODE. DANGER!!!" said Poppandacorn.
Quickly, Poppandacorn opened a compartment in his belly and stored the book inside. His eyes resumed flashing the red warning message. He positioned himself in front of Americ-Ana, focused on the brick road.
Then, Lady Puellula appeared at the red door, running down the road toward Americ-Ana and Poppandacorn.
"Where is the KING MatNat sphere?" asked Lady Puellula, breathless.
"But what happened? Where is the Chancellor?" questioned Americ-Ana.
"We don’t have time. Tell me, where is the KING MatNat sphere?" said Lady Puellula, with urgency and concern.
Americ-Ana extended her hand. She was still holding the sphere.
Lady Puellula took the sphere, looked at Poppandacorn, and said:
"Activate Armored and Secure Vault Mode."
Immediately, Poppandacorn opened a compartment in his belly. Lady Puellula placed the sphere inside. Then she said:
"Don’t worry. Your sphere is safe with him. Follow me."
Lady Puellula, Americ-Ana, and Poppandacorn headed toward the red door and exited the Cryptakashic.
The hallway they followed was dark and narrowed more and more, until it became so tight that Americ-Ana had to crawl.
Lady Puellula had led Americ-Ana and Poppandacorn to the end of the narrow corridor, where they encountered a metal door with a numeric keypad and two highlighted keys: east and west, north and south.
Lady Puellula pulled a small card from the sleeve of her dress and handed it to Americ-Ana.
"You need to tell me this code before the clock hits nine seconds, or the corridor will keep getting narrower, and we’ll be crushed to death in here."
"ALERT STATUS. DANGER," said Poppandacorn.
"Wait. Please! Tell me what’s going on. Where is the Chancellor?" asked Americ-Ana.
"I’ll keep time and press the keys. You need to read the code from the card," said Lady Puellula, pulling a gold watch from the sleeve of her dress.
"I’m not leaving until you tell me where the Chancellor is," Americ-Ana replied.
Realizing she wouldn't be able to convince Americ-Ana otherwise, Lady Puellula said:
"The Chancellor was attacked by the Ophanim, who mistook her for a terrorist. The Precinct was targeted in an attack. The terrorists are after you. Somehow, they found out you were coming here today."
Americ-Ana couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her eyes welled up with tears, and all she could think about was the Chancellor.
"Come on! Read the card. You need to get out of here now. You’re in great danger," said Lady Puellula.
"Is the Chancellor okay? I want to see her," said Americ-Ana, tears streaming down her face.
"She’s going to be fine. She was the one who asked me to come here and get you out of the building. Now read the card or we’re all going to die," insisted Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana lifted the card. Her eyes, still watery, saw the numbers and words all blurry.
"I can’t…"
"I’ll read it, Mommy," said Poppandacorn.
"No. It has to be her. From the moment she placed her blood on the doorposts, this entire floor responds only to her," replied Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana wiped her tears, cleaned her nose, and raised the card.
"When I press the stopwatch button, you need to read everything in nine seconds, or we’re going to die," Lady Puellula reminded her.
Americ-Ana took a deep breath. Lady Puellula pressed the button on the stopwatch.
"One north. One south. Four west. Five west. Six south. Three north. Seven north. Two east. Five east. Five west. Five south."
The timer buzzed. The walls began to close in.
Lady Puellula pushed open the metal door.
Americ-Ana grabbed Poppandacorn by his left arm and threw him through the doorway.
Lady Puellula reached out to Americ-Ana and pulled her in by the arm. The heel of her black patent leather shoe got stuck and was crushed as the corridor sealed shut completely.
They were now in a small room with white tiles and fluorescent lights.
In the middle of the room, Americ-Ana saw a large ring made of polished white metal. She was standing before a Jump Chronos Station.
"You need to step into the Jump Chronos Station to return to your home," said Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana, still trying to collect herself, was stunned. That word "home" meant nothing to her in that moment.
"Home?" Americ-Ana asked, just to be sure she’d heard it correctly.
"Yes. Home," replied Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana tried to think. But at that moment, all her thoughts led her back to the Chancellor.
"I have nowhere to go back to," said Americ-Ana, recalling her last moments in the common world.
The last place she had been was a courtroom.
Before that, a jail cell.
Before that, another jail cell.
Before that, Malibu.
"You can’t stay here. The police chief gave strict orders to get you out of this place," insisted Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana, still trying to organize her thoughts, said:
"I think I’ll try to go back to Malibu."
Lady Puellula pressed a button on the side of the Jump Chronos Station. A small compartment opened, resembling a vial.
"I need a drop of your blood. Only then will the portal know exactly where to drop you off," said Lady Puellula.
Americ-Ana looked at her own finger and bit it. She squeezed it over the vial. A small drop of her blood fell. The portal lit up.
"You can’t take anything from here to the common world. You need to leave everything behind," said Lady Puellula, pointing to a bathroom door.
Americ-Ana entered the bathroom. Inside her backpack were her bunny overalls, a gift from Bylly, and the prison uniform.
She took off her Dior 1947 outfit and put on the prison uniform. Then she returned to the room. Poppandacorn clung to her leg and began to say:
"I’m going with Mommy! She needs me."
Americ-Ana looked at Lady Puellula, hoping that, just maybe, she could take her Poppandacorn with her, a gift from the Chancellor. Lady Puellula shook her head no.
Americ-Ana picked up Poppandacorn, gave him a tight hug. The scent of cotton candy from the plush robot made her chest ache even more. She handed him to Lady Puellula and walked toward the portal.
A huge flash, followed by total darkness, filled Americ-Ana’s vision. She wondered:
“Am I Home?”