Xperience.br.com(ic)

Walking through the cold corridors of the laboratory, Jupiter took a deep breath, smelling Neptune nearby, along with something else hard to identify, making him stay on alert.

At the same time, he wondered why exactly he was there.

Well, he was in the laboratory at that moment because he had received a mission at the request of his friend Saturn, but why?

He didn't question her at the time, but he wondered why she hadn't gone to help Neptune herself if she was so worried. Saturn had said she ‘couldn't' but hadn't specified why, and Jupiter knew that if she were truly that nervous about the matter, she would have gone to see her friend herself, since, besides the two being close, Saturn maintains contact with Neptune more frequently than Jupiter.

Jupiter is a very important man, whose position requires a lot of work and dedication. Knowing this, it's strange that Saturn would ask him to do something she could do herself, without even knowing if he was available. On the other hand, it's not unlikely that Saturn knew he wasn't working at the moment. Because of the storm, Jupiter was in a much more depressed mood than usual, and Saturn knew that when he was like this, he didn't go out much and, in turn, worked less.

Anyway, Jupiter wondered if Saturn was up to something, something that was actually out of character for her, or maybe for some reason she was avoiding Neptune, so she had Jupiter go see him instead, which, again, isn't typical of her. Saturn doesn't usually avoid people when she's angry or upset with them.

He continues walking, the scent growing stronger and stronger. Jupiter can recognize the scent that accompanied Neptune's. Blackberries.

Jupiter slows his pace, only to start walking faster than before, practically running through the hallways. How had he not noticed before?! How could he have been so stupid, so ignorant, as to miss such a crucial detail?!

Jupiter's ears were ringing and his heart was pounding in his chest as he headed towards something he knew, deep down in his soul, would be extremely unpleasant…

“Surprise!!!!!”

Jupiter was simply ignorant of one detail; he was so preoccupied with his work and his turmoil that he neglected a simple fact. Today is the day he was born.

“Happy birthday, Jupiter!!!” Both Neptune and Saturn shouted happily.

The small room was decorated from top to bottom with confetti, streamers, and balloons, all the same shade of gray. In the middle of the room was a small round table covered in a red tablecloth and a white cake sat on it. The shock was slowly fading from Jupiter's system, slowly being replaced by a sense of calm comfort, along with a slight indignation.

This feeling must have been reflected on his face, because shortly after, Saturn said “I'm really sorry for tricking you like that, Jupiter, but it was the only way to get you out of that tacky office of yours, you're stuck there so often that I bet you forgot your own birthday, didn't you?”

Saturn places her hands on her hips, causing her now-loose hair to fall from her shoulders and cover the top of the pale orange dress she was wearing. She takes Jupiter's hands and pulls him deeper into the room, towards Neptune.

‘Honestly, can't one spend days locked in one's own misery in peace anymore?’ thought Jupiter.

“Don't blame her Jupiter, half of it was my idea anyways. Also I know you prefer beige, but gray was the only color I had, sorry” Says Neptune, noticing Jupiter's sour expression.

Neptune knocks his feet lightly against the floor, producing a sound similar to the clicking of tapping shoes, due to his carapace. This habit, Jupiter has learned, means he's either nervous or finds the situation ironically funny. It's hard to tell; deciphering the man becomes a challenge in every conversation. Neptune's face contains fewer expressions than a blank canvas, probably because he has no face to begin with.

"But yeah, sorry to make you come all this way, I can't leave the lab, you know how it is." Neptune explains, fiddling with the collar of his indigo sweater, which is merely a formal accessory. There's no real need for clothes for him, since his entire body is covered by a carapace that hides anything that would need to be hidden.

Neptune is used to this, doing things he wouldn't normally do to maintain his much-acclaimed image, which is actually a funny habit, since from afar he doesn't seem to care much about what others think of him, which is also another facade.

"Well, it's always like that with you guys, isn't it? Working like there's no tomorrow!" Saturn says, moving her arms and wrapping them around Neptune's waist, who chuckles lightly.

Saturn extends a hand to Jupiter. He takes it and is led toward the table in the center of the room. He shoots Neptune a questioning look, which the other responds with a shrug.

Holding Saturn's hand and having these brief interactions with Neptune, his head quiet, Jupiter feels a strong sensation within him, one he can't name, something he might have felt years ago, a light feeling, like a candle slowly burning in the dark void.

At that moment, even for a fraction of a second, Jupiter felt happy.

Walking through the cold corridors of the laboratory, Jupiter follows the scent of grass and chemicals, a scent he associates with Neptune and, even after all these years, still recognizes.

Jupiter clenches his claws into fists and then relaxes them repeatedly, a bad habit. He wouldn't admit it at the moment, but he was nervous, perhaps at the thought of seeing the other after years or something else. 

In his distracted state, walking quickly toward the scent that grew stronger by the second, he fails to notice another scent accompanying Neptune's, a scent that, in reality, Jupiter is quite familiar with…

Blood.

The man stops suddenly. It wouldn't be exactly unusual to smell blood in a biological research lab, he thought, but is it normal for the smell to be this strong? The distinct odor of rust, like an abandoned ship, invades his senses, blurring his vision and making him more nervous than before, his entire body trembling. He looks down at his hands and…

Oh, he cut himself with his own claws… Now his palms have deep, fingernail-shaped cuts, turning the white gloves he was wearing bright red. How stupid!

Jupiter adjusts his gloves so they cover his cuts and takes a deep breath. It's truly embarrassing; he was so distracted by the mere thought of seeing Neptune that he didn't even realize he'd hurt himself, much less that he, in fact, had already reached his destination.

He found himself in front of a door, a sign next to it indicated that it was the general anatomy research center, such a work area was also part of Neptune's specialties, so it was not unexpected that the other's scent became stronger from there.

Entering the room, it was a stark contrast to the rest of the lab. While the rest of the lab was clean, white, and blindingly bright, the anatomy center was the complete opposite. The room was dimly lit, with some tables cluttered with metal parts and wires, others strewn with glassware and medical tools, and the floor littered with piles and piles of papers and documents. The air was noticeably denser than the rest of the building. Jupiter strained his ears for any noise that might indicate his colleague's presence.

Klink

The sound of a small piece of metal falling to the floor echoes off the walls, soon followed by the sounds of feet walking against marble. Jupiter straightens his posture, feeling unusually restless. He inhales and calls out:

“Neptune?”

 All sound in the room ceased, as if even Jupiter's own heart had stopped beating. He began to hesitate, wondering if he should return another time, when suddenly:

“Jupiter?” 

Even though he answers softly, Neptune's voice sounds like a shout in the silent room. Before he can stop himself, Jupiter's ears instinctively droop. What?! Pull yourself together, Jupiter! What's with this sudden fear?! You useless excuse for a man! Calm down…

“Sorry, I… Saturn was worried about you, she said you weren’t answering her, she thought something had happened” Jupiter hesitates.

The sound of Neptune's footsteps echoes across the room, and seconds later, he appears, wearing a spotless white lab coat.

 "Jupiter? What in the name of science are you doing here?" Neptune asks, pulling his gloves off his hands.

Before answering, Jupiter takes a moment to study his friend's appearance. He obviously hasn't changed at all since they last saw each other, as members of this species don't usually show much sign of aging, much less Neptune, apparently.

In fact, Jupiter doesn't remember Neptune changing from the day they met until now. They were once the same height, but over the years Jupiter grew, and Neptune remained the same size, with the same body. Absolutely the same, like a picture.

Neptune taps him on the shoulder.

“Oh. Sorry. I got distracted” Jupiter quickly responds, embarrassed.

The two remain silent for what feels like decades.

"Why... Don't we get out of here? I've already finished what I needed to do, so we can talk while we walk, okay?" Neptune finally suggests, while removing his lab coat completely, leaving the lab without waiting for a response. 

Surprised, Jupiter follows him, but not before taking one last look around the room and closing the door.

The two walk side by side through the corridors, unsure of what to say, at least that's what Jupiter thinks. He's already found Neptune; that's why he came here in the first place. He's clearly fine, nothing to worry about. So why is Jupiter still here? Where are they going? His head feels quiet.

"Where exactly are we going?" Jupiter asks. 

"Out of the lab, of course, to get some fresh air and get a cure for your hand there." Neptune responds.

"Ah... so you noticed. I was hoping you wouldn't."

 "Of course I did, it's hard not to notice things like that on you." 

"And do you only notice things like that about me or- "

"We're here.”

Oh, it's true, they've arrived. Jupiter takes a deep breath, smelling the salt carried by the wind, the sound of the waves on the sea, illuminated by the light of the three moons in the night sky. It seems they've walked for a long time, and Jupiter hasn't even noticed. 

Neptune walks further, toward the sea, until the carapace shells of his feet touch the water; Jupiter just watches him.

"Why did you say you were looking for me again?" Neptune asks, tilting his head in place of a questioning look. "Saturn sent me. She said you were in danger. Nonsense, right?" Jupiter answers awkwardly. 

"Saturn... I see." Neptune responds blankly, turning his head. "Come on, let me take a look at your hand.”

Jupiter takes off his shoes, leaving them in the sand, and walks toward the other. Feeling the chillingly cold water hit his feet, he reaches out to his friend.

 Neptune takes his hand and removes the gloves, revealing the cuts. He doesn't ask how the cuts appeared, which Jupiter appreciates, but he assumes Neptune can deduce the cause.

Neptune brings his face closer to the other's hand, making Jupiter's heart skip a beat, but before he can say anything, he feels something wet and slimy touch his hand. He feels dizzy.

 "There, now you'll heal quickly. Practical, don't you think?" Neptune declares, running a hand over his face, wiping away a black liquid dripping from a spot where his mouth would be.

Jupiter completely forgot that Neptune could do this, some healing thing he doesn't quite understand. There are several things about Neptune he doesn't quite understand…

He looks at his hand, listening to the sound of the ocean and animals buzzing nearby. He turns back to Neptune, who is now ankle-deep in water, with his back to him. 

A few moments pass, Jupiter simply enjoying the view, but at the same time still wondering why he was there at that moment. He feels deep down that he should be somewhere else. 

"Neptune, did you bring me to the beach just to do this?" Jupiter finally asks. "The sea is certainly beautiful, but I don't—"

 "Jupiter," Neptune interrupts. "You weren't supposed to meet me in the lab, really." 

"What? What do you mean by that?”

Neptune approaches Jupiter again, holding his injured hand. "You weren't supposed to be with me right now. I was selfish. I'm sorry." 

And before Jupiter could respond, he wakes up.

He immediately covers his eyes with his arm, the blazing sun beating down on his face. He sits down on the hot sand and puts his hand to his head, feeling strange, his head completely silent. 

He removes his hand from his head, looking at it. Completely healed.

His ears can pick up the sound of waves and birdsong in the distance, but his nose can only focus on the absence of the smell of grass and cleaning products, replaced by a strange, rusty odor.

"Look, Saturn, I don't have time for this."

"Huh?"

Jupiter takes a frustrated breath.

"I said, 'I don't have time for this’, you know how busy I am."

"Jupiter, are you serious?" Saturn puts her hands on her hips, sounding indignant. "Can't you stop working for a second? And I know very well you were just brooding, looking out the window when I came in! As always!"

Are you going to let her talk to you like that? How dare she… Question you like that…

You're useless!

Worthless! Do something!

Let's get her out of here! She really doesn't deserve you! And you don't have to do anything she tells you! Nothing!

Who cares about others…? Only you matter…

Neptune must be fine!

And if he's not, just let him die!

Jupiter slams his hands on the desk. Hard. Making Saturn retreat slightly.

“Just get out of my office.” Jupiter says, almost in a whisper “...Please.”

Saturn opens her mouth to respond, but closes it immediately with an audible click. She hesitates for a few seconds, which seem like an eternity, and leaves the room, closing the door softly.

…

You really are weak Jupiter!

“Shut up”

He just didn't want to hurt her...

Pathetic!!!!

Jupiter clenches his fists, scratching pieces of wood off the table. Honestly, this is one of the biggest problems that plagues him every day, his parasites.

Hey, but why didn't you go? I thought you would help...

"I know, okay? I really am busy." Jupiter places his hands on his forehead, massaging.

Wow, haha! Did we really bother you this much or are you just scared!?

Oooh…

"And what exactly would I be afraid of?" Jupiter says, gritting his teeth. He can feel his headache growing.

You know very well what!

Connections…

Friends!

Responsibilities…

Love!

Loss…

Disappointment!

“Look who's talking! You two aren't a bit better than me!”

Touché…

At least we don't hide the fact! Unlike you! Hiding your feelings behind ten layers of intimidation doesn't solve anything!

Jupiter cringes in his chair. Why have these two appeared now? Stupid shadows. When they're not driving him into waves of self-loathing, the creatures like to torment him in their real forms. The man couldn't count all the times he's looked at his own shadow and seen something ridiculous, like a different head, extra arms, or worse.

They have a symbiotic relationship; the shadows have a place to protect themselves from the light, and Jupiter gets more than one pair of eyes. But sometimes he feels it's not worth it, which is why he calls them parasites.

Looks like he's with his head in the clouds again...

Ignoring us as always!

Jupiter hopes he can get rid of them someday, for they've caused more trouble than he can count.

.

.

.

The rain poured hard against the office that night, emitting a broken rhythm, accompanied by the howling wind, blowing through a crack in the window, producing a chaotic and irritating symphony, making so much noise that it was impossible to even hear one's own thoughts. The storm was constant, persistent. It had been five consecutive days since the storm started with no signs of it stopping, bringing vast discomfort to a certain man sitting in an armchair in this very office.

This man wasn't exactly a man, not meaning he wasn't someone who behaved like or indetified as one, but rather saying he wasn't human. This would be especially noticeable if someone saw him in person, but unfortunately this is a descriptive literary device, so I'll have to do my best.

Crossing his legs, he turns the page of his book, an object that is already severely despised in this period of time. In fact, paper itself is a rare thing that few produce, there is no use for paper when everything can be done with computers and screens. The man, whose name refers to a planet so distant that it cannot even be seen by a new generation telescope, lets out a long sigh. The sound of the rain is deafening to his sensitive ears, which for an ordinary human would be just a noise easy to ignore, but for him it was as if a thousand and one percussionists were training for a party inside his head, even without the noise in his brain that constantly bothered him, which was already too much noise in his opinion…

He closed his book and stood up, stretching his back and legs, mentally thanking the office for its high ceilings; not every place is built with people over ten feet tall in mind.

Scratching his snout and detecting the faint scent of blackberries and hairspray, he headed to the window and closed it completely. Now at least the wind wouldn't be a bother anymore. That said, at that exact moment, he hears three elegant knocks on the door, which he recognizes and associates with a woman he's known for a long time, someone who, even if he doesn't want to admit it, brings him comfort. Pathetic!

“Come in.” He invited, his voice thick and confident but somewhat tired after hours of work.

The door opened, delicate feet like a ballerina 's appeared first, then a satin dress and finally a woman, bringing with her that scent that Jupiter had noted earlier. She was tall, taller than a normal human, but not quite as tall as the man. The lady appeared human at first glance, but up close, it was noticeable that she lacked many details humans possess, as if she had been drawn by someone who had never seen a human up close before.

The woman entered the room, her expression was calm but slightly worried, which did not go unnoticed by the other.

“Sat? Is something the matter?” He asked.

The damsel, Saturn, walked up to him, placing her hand on her porcelain-smooth, paper white face, tucking a blue strand behind her ear. Saturn's long bangs covered her eyes completely, but for someone who spent years by the woman’s side, it's not hard to recognize her expressions, which was the case with both of them. His best friend…

“Jupiter so you really are here!” She exclaims. “I was looking for you and actually, yes, I need something.”

“What do you need?” He didn't say it right away, but he would do practically anything for her. He certainly loved her, they were closer than Jupiter had ever been with anyone and he was sure the woman would return any favor he asked of her in the same way.

Saturn shook her head slightly, as if organizing her thoughts, then took a deep breath and said:

“I was thinking about Neptune again, you know? It's been a long time since I heard from him, I was starting to get worried, he never goes this long without communicating with me.”

Jupiter closed his eyes, his heart burning. Neptune is a name he preferred not to think about. Not that he hated the man, quite the opposite. In fact, Jupiter felt a strong affection for the other man, so much so that it became a distraction. When he first saw him, Jupiter couldn't stop thinking about him, and when they had their first conversation, he couldn't sleep that night. How dramatic!

Neptune had moved away years ago. He was a renowned and extremely talented scientist; it wasn't uncommon for him to go days, weeks, or even months without communication. However, Jupiter was aware that Saturn and Neptune have a much longer history together than Jupiter had with either of them, in fact, there is a lot of information about both of them that the man did not have, so perhaps the two were used to contacting each other more regularly. Jupiter questioned the woman nevertheless.

"Forgive me, Saturn, but I don't understand the problem, or even less why you're asking me for help. It's not uncommon for Neptune to go long periods of time without contacting us. Isn't it?" He asked calmly.

She turned her head slightly to the side, blushing blue.

"You... You wouldn't understand Jupiter." He understood, of course. But he preferred to pretend he didn't! "This time is different. Even when he's focused on work, he has time to answer me. He's never left a single message of mine aside for so long. Something's happened to him, I'm sure!"

She started getting visibly nervous; for someone normally so calm, it's sad to see her like this. Jupiter feels sorry when Saturn is worried about someone's well-being; he truly admires the affection she has for him, but he can't help but feel a certain wave of envy. Bluh!

Truth be told, this concern wasn't just pure paranoia. Saturn possesses incredible intuitive abilities, a talent that has been able to predict major disasters and has been very useful in solving crimes. She certainly doesn't cause trouble for nothing, but her divination isn't always entirely accurate; she has a tendency to exaggerate situations, especially when they involve someone she cares deeply about. Jupiter, knowing this, recognized the gravity of the problem, but felt more than a little doubtful of his friend's hypothesis.

"Sat, I understand your concern, but are you sure something happened?"

"Not a shred of a doubt!"

"Well, even if that's the case, what exactly do you expect me to do about it?" Jupiter asked, placing a hand over his eyes.

"I need you to go see him, of course! I'd like to do it myself, but I really can't, you know that."

Jupiter considers the situation for a moment. Is it really worth fulfilling her wish…?"

If she's right, Jupiter will be able to save Neptune from any danger he might be in. But if the woman's intuition is wrong, it will just be a normal visit, that's what Jupiter expects.

What are you going to do, Jupiter…?

>JUPITER: REFUSE!!!!!!

>JUPITER: ACCEPT (CONTINUE READING)

“Okay, I'll do what you asked, I wasn't very busy anyway.”

"Thank you so much, Jupiter, thank you so much!" Saturn jumped up and put her arms around the man, resting his head on his shoulder for a second, then letting go, pushing him lightly. "Now go! Seriously, I have a bad feeling, and if you don't go soon, I fear what might happen."

“Saturn, I'm going, calm down, I can't run at the speed of light.” He ran his hands over his clothes, to wipe away the persistent non-existent dust.

Jupiter packed his things while Saturn said goodbye, walking through the hallways and heading for the building's exit. Jupiter's mind began to wander to the subject of his friend's concern. Neptune is a great source of mystery in Jupiter's life; one never knows what he's feeling or thinking, which brings him an inexplicable curiosity.

Honestly, there were times when Jupiter thought about splitting the colleague in half to understand him. Metaphorically, of course.

Not that it would be impossible in the literal sense! Even though Neptune is smart, he's not exactly strong! It would be extremely easy to crack his thin waist open like a crab leg!

…

This line of thinking is going to places he doesn't want to think about…

Jupiter decided to focus on what he was doing at the moment.

The man walked quickly down the street. His plan was to go to the nearest teleportation port, reach the Southern state, and take a train to Neptune's laboratory. If Neptune wasn't there, he would have to look for him in his apartment. It would be a bit tricky, and as a precaution, Jupiter sends a message to the other, so at least it wouldn't be an unexpected visit if Saturn were to be incorrect. The message was only received, but not viewed.

Arriving at the port, Jupiter showed his ID to one of the workers, who immediately escorted him to a room for direct transportation. Jupiter hates taking public transportation, but he hates waiting in lines even more; this is one of the few occasions he abused his power, along with grabbing free coffee at cafes. …Yeah… definitely…

The journey from the Western state to the South doesn't take long, and catching the train after leaving the port isn't difficult either. Jupiter usually would take longer when making his trips, like slowly savoring a good plate of food, preferring to enjoy the journey rather than arriving quickly at the destination. But unfortunately, he didn't have time for that, which was a shame, since the Southern state is one of the most beautiful to visit, the mountains stretching into the horizon, the open fields that transition into dense, vibrant jungles. Certainly a sight for sore eyes, at least in Jupiter's opinion.

While being distracted by the view before him, Jupiter had already reached his destination, the national biochemical research laboratory, where his friend worked.

The sky was clear, the moons and stars shining, distant and bright. Now, looking up at the building in front of him, among the palm trees, where his friend may or may not be, Jupiter remembers that many of the stars seen above may have died long ago, their light merely a reminder of the shining being that once stood there. This thought brought a certain melancholic hope to Jupiter, that someone can be remembered even years after their death. But this was not the time to dwell on such things; he did not come here without a reason. Shaking off his thoughts and reassuring himself that everything is okay, Jupiter headed to the building's entrance and continued on his way.

It was not very late at night, so there were still a few employees walking the halls. Some pass by him and say goodnight. One of them, a praying mantis, asks him what he's doing there “Just checking on something” he responds, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself. The scientist simply nods and walks away. Others ignored him, too focused on their work. Not that Jupiter blamed them; he used to be like that, still is, too absorbed in his duties to notice the people around him. Navigating the building, riding elevators and getting confused by the identical hallways, Jupiter realized that maybe, just maybe, he was a little lost. Well, of course he is! Everything in this lab is the same! Maybe he's passed this same hallway five times and didn't even notice…

Getting frustrated, he concentrated, and tried to analyze everything around him, the smells, the sounds, absolutely everything that his heightened senses could perceive.

Suddenly, he sensed two things, coming from two different places, two things that are, without a shadow of a doubt, his colleague Neptune, but of course, he couldn't be in two places at once; frankly, that would be insane! One was accompanied by a strange smell, the other by a sweet smell. He chooses one of the two paths.

> GO TOWARDS THE STRANGE SMELL

> GO TOWARDS THE SWEET SMELL