《Tartaros》Chapter 12 - Andi
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Immediately when Edan left, Sonia wrote a one word to the ground: Medusa.I was going to meet Medusa, The Medusa, face to face, and I don't have to be scared for my life. I didn't know if I should jump in joy or scream in terror. Like with Edan, when Sonia started to walk away, I followed her.
When we were back to the city hall building, Sonia pointed at the stairs. I realized slowly that she was going to leave me outside like a pet until she gets permission to let me in, but at least now I got to look at Tartaros while still.
Because I woke up so early in the morning, I didn't see many people around Tartaros. Tartaros almost seemed empty before now. Now that the noon was here, street of Tartaros started to fill with different people who looked so individual, so like themselves.
First person I noticed was a woman whose hair and clothes were bright green. She talked to a man who had pink hair and teal shirt. Woman that walked past them had a giant dress that was colored with all the colors of the rainbow. They all seemed so relaxed and free, compared to me, who couldn't move an inch due to fear.
Maybe they were free. I started to notice couple of faces I thought were dead. Couple of old classmates that were announced to be dead by the hands of the Gorgos, a nurse who I heard got a invitation to Elysia. I started to think how many of the people I thought were dead could be here, like Valentina.
Before I got lost in my thoughts, someone tapped my elbow. I thought it was Sonia, but to my suprise, the Gorgos were behind me, Sonia next to them. They looked weird, like Sonia told them at least something. Medusa raised her hand towards me. Even tough she was wearing a very casual robe, she still looked otherworldly, probably due to her red hair that was put in the loose bun.
"What's your name, sweetie?" Eurydale said, when I grabbed Medusa's hand. She didn't look scary like she did last night. She looked like she just had a nap. Eurydale's hair was messy. She was wearing a a loose t-shirt and leggins that complimented her tall and slim legs. It's weird when the leaders are dressed so casually.
Behind Eurydale and Medusa stood Stheno who was signing with Sonia. When they were close to each other, I could see they are related. Stheno also didn't look scary when he didn't have a gun out. You could see the metallic arm under his top, but his cute round glasses and the ink on his face made him look a bit wholesome.
"My name... My name is..." I sounded like something inside me broke.
"Take your time. We don't bit, if you don't bite back." Medusa laughed and pointed at the door. Only started to move when the other people started to move too and I could hide behind them.
"Sonia told me you had something important to tell us. It was so important that they run away from their important... punishment."
I regretted that I gave Edan Hazel's picture, or at least that's what I thought happened. When I touched the place I used to hide the picture, it was still there. When I opened the picture, it was the same picture. I quickly shoved the picture to Medusa and Eurydale. "This is... This is my... My parent's are in this picture."
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When I gave the picture to Medusa, she dropped the picture immediately. "Oh, don't give me that. That's part of a old leaflet that's so annoying. You can only get rid of it by completly detroying it", Stheno groaned. When I looked at the picture, people did pose like in a commercial.
I breathed deeply in and out. "My name is Andi Isadora Ruiz. Mother's name is Juliana Ruiz. Father is... Medusa's brother, I guess."
Gorgo's looked at each other, talking to each other with just eyes. Medusa walked to the desktop and sat in the chair behind it. She put her hands to hide the look on her face. Stheno laughed by himself, trying to stop the silence. Eurydale looked at the floor deep in tought.
I looked around. I had only seen part of this room. The room was as colorful as the rest of the house. Each wall was decorated differently. The wall behind the study was full of flowers, the wall behind me was full of black and white outlines of people. My eyes were fixed on the wall next to me, where there were two large boards. One of them was of the same type as my picture, but under the picture was the text: "The first members of the Tartaros project will be with you soon. Who will be your favorite?”
"We were wondering where did Julie hid you." Stheno laughed but the laugh felt empty. He rubbed his forhead, trying to look happy. "When Julie disappeared-" Stheno closed his mouth when Eurydale hit his shoulder.
"You knew... mom?" Eurydale and Stheno looked at each other. Medusa... She looked at the distance, not noticing anything happening around her.
"Maybe too well, If I'm being honest. Now none was can... She has made some missions quite difficult." Stheno grinned weirdly. "I know she's your mother, but I need to say this. If the woman in that picture would see your mother now, I'm sure she would punch herself in the face."
Eurydale laughed, but tried to hide it when I saw her her looking at her. I was facinated by reaction to Stheno's joke. They knew her and she was a badass.
"Your father hated the name Isadora. It was my grandma's name and the middle name of my mother, but he hated both of them. Your mother still wanted to remember my family somehow, because Andi was important to her family. I think it was either her dead mom or like a cousin. It's been fifteen years when we last talked about it." Medusa sounded tired. Eurydale walked up to her and put her arms around her. "Milo, try to find Andi's file. I think it's still here."
Stheno, whose real name was Milo, nodded. He started tapping on her robot arm. A giant flying letters appeared around me. I was so facinated about how his arm worked and what he was doing. Only question that came from mouth was more like a statement. "You are... my family."
Medusa nodded weakly. "My brother was a good man. He was so happy when he became an actual dad, and not just a subtitute for a father to me and my sister." medusa sighed. "I'm sorry you didn't get to meet him."
"Rena, I can't find Andi. Is the copies still here somewhere? God's were never that good at ordering good paperwork", Stheno joked and signed something to Sonia. Eurydale whispered something to Medusa and walked up the black and white wall. She touched the wall gently and dozens of cabinets just like in the training room appeared in the wall. She opened the closest cabinet and started reading.
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When everyone was focused on everything else, or they looked like their mind was somewhere else, I started to read the other picture on the wall. It was a news article, sixteen years old at least. The picture on the article was clearly Sonia's mom standing in front of Tartaros, welcoming you inside. Around her was dozens of beautiful women, some carrying children. When I read the article, it sounded more like a advertisment than a news article.
New way to save humanity
Osiria Rose
We have all felt the effects of World War III in one way or another. We lost loved ones, homes, families and more. We saw a part of the globe where we were still able to live safely dwindle day by day. As the part of the earth we are able to live in shrinks day by day, several will be left behind. Those who are left behind the walls plunder, harm each other, die and forget how to be civilized people. Among those criminals, however, there are some good people, families who have no choice but to live in that polluted world.
Now that the first set of the Elysia project has left the Earth and the following people for the new world have been selected, the creators of the Elysia project in collaboration with the new I.C.T.A project have found a solution to a heartbreaking problem behind the wall: A place where criminal families become decent citizens and will one day have the opportunity to enter Elysia, the new world.
Tartaros, a beautiful town in the mountains that was formerly a ruin, has been made into a paradise by the people of I.C.T.A-project. It’s just the kind of place where anyone could start over. Anyone in Tartaros could change quite completely, whether you were a criminal or person with bad luck.
Of course, we have not forgotten the people inside the walls. You may see the development of the people of Tartaros on your own screens every day, and reward your favorites, or give punishment to those who break the rules. You can even apply to become an employee. With hard work, you may be able to get closer to getting to Elysia. Before that, though, you get to live in Ashphodea, a great city full of the latest technology and fun created as a place where workers and their families can live.
When I spoke with the leading scientist of the I.C.T.A project, Tomas Henriksson stressed that children are the most important part of why this project is important to everyone involved, himself included. Henriksson said: “I am horrified to think about everything the children experience outside the walls. I am a father myself, so I can imagine how difficult it is for families.”
Don’t be afraid to apply. Ashphodea Mayor Marx Adams, Tartaros Director Roxanne Grey and I, Osiria Rose, are waiting for you with open arms. Let’s make the rest of our lives the best it can be.
"Only thing left from I.C.T.A's rule is the thing we use as a training rule and everything inside it. All the other are either replaced by Milo or completly destroyed." I jumped when I noticed Medusa had walked next to me. She still had a scary aura around her, even tough she felt distant.
"Medusa- Aunt- Ma'am-", I tried to ask something but even being around her made me feel nervous. I had only read so few things about I.C.T.A, that were all linked to the Tartaros project, so I didn't know what they actually did. It felt weird not to know.
"Evalyn's fine. Only people who fear me call me Medusa." She tried to make it sound like a joke, but I really doubt that it was one.
"I am such a idiot. Andi isn't Ruiz here." Milo grew the letter before him bigger. "She's Roseblood here. Julie is a Roseblood, liked it or not. The wedding was too legendary to forget." Every adult looked like he just said the most amazing inside joke. Well, I was more focused on the fact that my name was a lie. I was a Roseblood. Andi Roseblood.
"I haven't thought about that day for years. Even Serena was wasted-" Evalyn put her hand to her mouth, when Eurydale, or Serena, reminded her with a look that I was standing next to her.
"Can I- Can I see my... thing?" I walked next to Stheno. He nodded and I saw the big letters coming out of his hand. It was a short text but it was still there. "Andi Roseblood, infant, 11820513919, Orpheus.".
Before I could see anything else, the letters disappeared. Milo waved his hand frustrated. "That was a sign that this thing needs tinkering." Milo laughed. "If any other ghost from the past comes by, send them to the workshop." Then Milo left-
"I think we should head out after him. We have to work. There's a party today, if you forgot#, Serena said to Evalyn smiling weakly. I was going to offer to help but Evalyn's questioning look made me freeze.
"Before that, we need to do a proper protocol to our newest person." Evalyn fixed her posture and smiled. "Hello, what should we call you?"
I looked at Evalyn's hand, and her face, trying to deciper what she meant. "I told you. My name is-"
"I didn't ask for the name you were born with." Evalyn's smile was a gentle as she could form. "People arrive in Tartaros every day, and most of them are people who are running away from something. Their names have some sort of weight to it or don't reflect who they really are. If you want us to call you by something other than your birth name, now is the time to say it. Don't worry, no one is going to criticize you. I'll make sure of it."
Maybe it was for the best that i would hide my identity from people who knew me from Ashphodea. The bad part was that only thing that came out of my mouth was "Andy. Like with a Y."
Evalyn's smile widened. "Andy, we are happy you are with us in a day like this."
"Day like what?" At that moment I realized, today is the anniversary of the first battle. I tried to breathe in and out, but I couldn't help but think about how much trouble I was in running away on the anniversary.
"On the day of the best party of the year, of course. You need to go find Sonia. Shee will find something for you to wear.” Serena and Evalyn started to walk outside, but Evalyn stopped for a moment. “Welcome to Tartaros, Andy!”
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