HOLO-LIFE MYTH

Chapter 5: Atlantis

Ancient Atlantis, or just Atlantis considering the fact that I traveled back in time. Yeah, I'm still trying to come to terms with that.

When I first heard of the tales of what Mt Aion has hidden within its tall peaks, I was expecting of the more traditional lost gold, hidden scriptures, or just plain nothing; discarding it as legends that older generations would pass down to newer ones. However, it was none of that.

Never did I think that a time traveling device would be lying in wait within the mountains.

A time traveling device… that only supports my theory that the woman at the abandoned temple was a time goddess. That's one piece of the puzzle done, time to find the rest of them; but first things first, I have to focus on the elephant in the room. I'm currently stuck in approximately four thousand years in the past, with no way back. My main hypothesis is that by using the pocket watch again, I might be able to travel forward in time. I mean, if it can go back it must be able to go forwards too, right?

Now then, "what's stopping me from doing that?" you may ask? Well, the pocket watch is completely busted, which means I'm stuck here in a time where I don't belong. Fuck me.

As much as I want to explore this lost civilization and experience its culture first hand, being stuck in the ancient times is not fun. Modern luxuries are basically nonexistent and cultures so vastly foreign they might as well be alien. Surviving alone is basically almost impossible.

Fortunately for me, it seems that a native is willing to give a hand in helping me. Ever since I regained my consciousness my eyes lay upon a young seafolk named Gura, it was a tense first contact not gonna lie, but it worked out in the end. I can't express how lucky I am, if I were transported somewhere or somewhen else; it would've been a different story.

Currently we're atop of the bridge that connects Atlantis to the dry lands. The smell of the ocean is not something I'm particularly familiar with—I'm more akin to city life than the beach side—but hey, it feels pretty refreshing. Carts and wagons occasionally stroll pass with crates and barrels going in and out, most likely for trade and bartering. As tempting as it is to catch a ride, the shark insists on staying on foot.

The scale of this bridge is mind boggling considering it's built without modern machinery, it's considered an ancient marvel in my time. In fact, this structure was the reason for Atlantis' rediscovery.

It's an interesting story actually, because at first, archeologists thought the remains were part of an aqueduct system. That was the most widely accepted theory until another set of archeologists revisited the site and proposed it to be a massive bridge from a lost civilization,

challenging the previous one. There's a whole debate that happened that I can't recall detail by detail, but it's such an interesting subject matter to read about. In short, the lost civilization theory won out and said "lost civilization" would later be identified as Atlantis, adding another piece into world history.

Speaking of Atlantis, I think I see it right now.

"Is that it right there?" I point my finger as I ask the young shark, who visibly jumps as I interrupt her staring into the ocean. Hopefully I didn't give her a heart attack or anything.

She regains her composure just as fast as she lost it, "Oh, oh yea! That's Atlantis alright." She replies.

Wow, just wow… there's something about seeing ruins in their prime state, undamaged and full of color. It's like seeing something dead be brought back to life. Even from this distance, I can see the marble white walls that seems to be the prominent building material here. The place acts like a sort of beacon because of how it stands against the surrounding blue waters

"Woah…" I stare in amazement as we get closer, step by step, "So, how did Atlantis come to be?"

The origins of civilizations is an interesting topic to talk about like the Candy Kingdom with their ties with confectionaries, Unylia and their annual Tweeur Festival, and dozens of other nations with their distinct cultures. Many scholars and historians put up theories and speculations trying to explain each nation's origins and founding, but it's always fascinating to hear it from the people who actually live there. One of the more well-known examples of this is Pekoland; according to their culture, the ruling Usada family came from the moon and descended to Earth. It seems hard to believe, especially when you look at it in the lens of a professional, but it adds a unique charm to Pekoland culture.

I look at the sharkgirl, waiting for an answer to my question. It seems that she's trying to recall some memories.

The young Atlantean lays a finger on her chin as eyes look up to the sky, "Well, if I remember correctly, this place was founded by three sea tribes." She answers, albeit slowly, "It was constructed as a result of a uh… a war as some kind of sanctuary for seafolks across the vast ocean, I think."

It looks like someone isn't paying attention to history class, if it even exists in this era. I actually don't know.

With each step I see Atlantis clearer and in its full glory. No 3D reconstruction could've ever predicted this beauty. Despite being on the smaller end of the spectrum in terms of territorial size, its grandeur surpasses most ancient civilizations. Though white marble was the dominant color, prismarine and other shades of blue are also present with a hint of gold littered in some parts.

Gura told me earlier, Atlantis is split into two regions; the Inner City, and the Outer Rim, which is where she apparently lives.

According to her, the Inner City is where big important things happen. Assuming it's the same as modern cities, the Inner City is the central hub for trade, politics, economy, and law.

The Outer Rim on the other hand, is not a very well defined area. From her own words, the region is anywhere that's not the Inner City. From here, I can roughly pinpoint where the separation begins between the two regions. If memory serves right, Atlantis was built within a series of islets—an atoll—this geography helps act as solid groundwork for Outer Rim residents, building their houses on these small islands. In fact, the bridge we're crossing seems to pass above the Outer Rim, instead going straight towards the Inner City.

It didn't take any longer before I finally step foot on Atlantis. The feeling of being part of literal history is incomparable, it feels so wrong yet weirdly… nostalgic. This is human history, our history.

"This is it, Atlantis." She introduced to me, but I was still awestruck to reply at the moment, "How's ya first impression so far?"

I stare silently, mouth still agape at what's in front of me, "It's more than I expected, I'll say that." That's an understatement for sure, I just can't think of any words to describe it.

Quietly we venture deeper into the city; the pristine condition of these marble structures, wooden stalls filled with an assortment of goods, and people from all sorts of age range tending to their daily activities. I lived most of my life in the industrial Angloland nation, the view was always the same no matter where you go, flats that occupy an entire sides of roads, the bland and toned down color palette, and not to mention the constant gloomy weather where you only see the sun a few times each week. Oh and let's not forget that the air quality back there was not the best, though efforts are being made, it's slower than a snail's pace.

Atlantis is a breath of fresh air, both figuratively and literally.

My eyes dart from left to right as my vision is overloaded with so much visual information as possible. Large houses, marble structures, and a sea of blue and white fill my vision. Though, not to be offensive to the seafolks or anything, but the subtle stench of fish is something that I've started to notice. Not strong that it's overwhelming, nor is it weak that it's unnoticeable; just subtle enough to linger every time I take a breath. Eventually, we step into a square, its surrounded by colonnades and crowded with people. It doesn't take long before my eyes are already fixated on something.

At one end there seems to be a place of worship, a temple. Its dome roof and tall, imposing columns are its main features. Guards, or more appropriately, hoplites bearing a circular shield and spear flank the entrance of the religious structure. Frescos and murals litter its base as if it's telling a story, but that's not what really caught my attention.

In center of the square lays a large bronze statue of a female figure, the details are simply magnificent even from ground level. I see people bowing their heads as they pass this metal effigy giving me the impression that, whoever this is, they worship it like a god.

I stride nearer to the monument taking a closer and clearer look of the bronze figure. The woman sports a very long ponytail, almost reaching her ankles, as well as two feathers on her

head; her hair sways frozen in time as if emulating the wind. Her garments consist of a cloak, which also lay in a frozen blowing state, and underneath is her clothes and skirt with a loose belt atop of her waist. On both of her hands I see one object being held in each; on her left hand she holds a lantern pointing towards the bridge we were just at and in the other, a dagger firmly in her grasp. I soak it all in, every detail and creases before questioning.

"Who's that?" I ask.

"Oh, That?" She points at the statue as I nod, "She's the Guardian ."

"The 'Guardian' huh?" I whisper under my breath as I raise an eyebrow. It seems as if every single civilization on Earth worships her, it's a baffling mystery that challenged historians for years.

"Bards usually recite poems telling of her stories." The young sharkgirl continues, "Legends tell of her status as the protector of mankind and his creations."

Man, I really wish I could've brought something to immortalize this, I could stare at this bronze structure all day. All the details on the cloth, the strands of hair so meticulously forged, and the skin looks soft and plump despite its stiff metal composition.

For the meantime, I maintain eye contact with the towering statue as I ask another question, "So, does she have an actual name or…?"

She shook her head before facing the bronze statue, "No one knows. Either it's lost to time, erased from history, or no name to begin with." That's weird, you'd expect a person with that status would have their name preserved before anything else, "She's nameless as far as everyone is concerned."

The identity of this unnamed goddess has puzzled both historians and anthropologists alike for decades, despite being such a widely worshiped deity her name is straight up wiped from history, leaving no trace. It's one of the few mysteries that truly has even professionals baffled. Of course, because of this enigmatic cloud that surrounds the subject, it has also become filled to the brim with conspiracy theories and nutjob hypotheses.

However, this mystery got a whole lot deeper. Considering that even four thousand years ago the identity of this deity is still unknown suggesting that this unnamed goddess might be way older than previously thought.

We then decide to sit at the nearest bench, which is made of stone, to rest for a bit as I take advantage of this time to take it all in. It's just surreal. I can't get over how I'm literally in the past, very far in the past.

The concentration of many different seafolk races in one place is rarely seen in my time, they're usually spread out across the globe. Look to the left and I see, tropical seafolks with their colorful fins and some other unique properties such a fins protruding on their arms; to my right I see people with features similar to jellyfishes—where their hair is replace with a bell and tentacles flowing down to their waist—and among other things such as dolphins and

squids; in front is a whole assortment of them like shellfishes, orcas, whales, and so many more to list down.

As my eyes continue to wander, it eventually narrows down to the Gura. Her fingers fidgeting her hair and legs, which barely reach the ground, scraping the dirt below as it swings. She's nervous, maybe even anxious. Is it because of me? Honestly, it's making me self-conscious too. I don't want to make her uncomfortable or anything. Maybe I should get a conversation going.

"Say, Gura," I started off. I definitely caught her attention as she turned her head towards me, "about those bard stuff, could you sing one of their poems for me? Kinda curious, I haven't heard of these things where I come from. "

It's kinda true, most songs and poems from history has been lost

"Uhhh…" Her eyes veer to the right, breaking our eye contact. Her hands grip the bottom of her tunic, "I can't uhh… can't do it right now, I'm a bit embarrassed to do it in public."

"Oh, It's understandable. Maybe sometime in the future." I wave my hand, gesturing to her that it's not a big deal if she didn't do it.

Well that didn't go far at all. I mentally facepalm myself as I let out a sigh. I thought of other plans to maybe make her more comfortable and less pressured, but running the simulations in my head and it leads to dead ends.

Ya'know, maybe asking a nervous person to sing in public isn't exactly a good icebreaker.

We continue sitting around minding each other's business. It was quiet between us; while she's busy fidgeting her hair, I'm still occupied with the whole cityscape and its surroundings. I can see and hear people gossiping and chattering, playing and arguing, and running and sitting, it reminds me of city life back in my time. I guess some things never change do they? Weirdly, it makes me smile.

As I follow the tall apartment blocks of the city my eyes naturally shift focus to sky. The horizon has a band of orange, separating the sea and blending into the remaining blue above. The sun's afternoon rays peer over the largely marble landscape of this lost civilization.

"Hey…"

My ears pick up a voice right next to me. I shift my head to look at the young girl, listening to what she's about to say

"I guess, since you're probably staying here for a few days, we should probably start looking for places where you could stay."

It's obvious that this girl is uhh, very uncertain of herself. She's uhh… weird, but in the most endearing way possible! I mean she's clearly a kid, so you have to expect this level of shyness from them. Maybe she's introverted, that's all, it's not really hard to find people like that.

Well, it's true that I might be here for quite some time. Gods knows how long that pocket watch could be busted for, certainly won't be within twenty-four hours by the looks of it. For the meantime, having a roof above my head should be my priority right now, sleeping outside like a hobo ain't pretty in modern times and it sure won't be any prettier in ancient times too.

"Sure, why not?" I reply. Without wasting another second, the shark and I stood up.

"Staying in apartments typically cost around uhh, fifty silver or five gold pieces per month." She told me, "It also depends on the establishment you stay at." That last part rushed out of her mouth, I almost didn't pick it up completely.

I reach inside my coat to grab my wallet, but a sudden realization hit me… I have no money.

Fuck me.

Both my paper money and my plastic money hold absolutely no value in this era, I might as well be poor if that's the case. I have a few coins, but I doubt it would be enough to cover the expenses nor would it even be accepted as currency. How do I break this to her without exposing that I'm from the future? I stood still like a deer in front of a headlight, the girl was starting to get nervous too, probably wondering why I suddenly stopped.

Quick, Watson, think! Think of an excuse that won't expose you.

"Oh… oh nooo." The Atlantean tilted her head with a look of confusion, "I think I lost all my savings while I was being chased earlier." Great acting there, me.

"What!?" The girl clearly looked panicked. Now I feel bad, "W-well um, ma-maybe we could…" She pauses before being followed by whispers of nos accompanied by her hard quickly shaking from left to right.

She really wants to help me here, I feel guilty knowing that I'm practically taking advantage of this poor little girl's kindness. Though I have to say, for a kid, she's raised pretty well. I stand quiet as I let the girl sort out her thoughts and organize a solution to my predicament. Part of me wants to just leave so that I won't be a burden for her anymore, it's kinda getting hard to watch.

"Y-you could uhh… maybe live at my place for a while." She suggests with a shy, nervous, and uncertain voice and body language, "Though it might be a bit crowded because of my family." Her voice got a bit quiet at the end. Her eyes drift to the right, having some difficulties with eye contact.

Now I really feel guilty. Well if it means not living in a barrel in the middle of the streets then let's go, "Really?" Offering a stranger to live in your safe place requires a lot of trust, "Thanks for the offer, but are you sure they won't mind? I doubt they'll let a complete stranger stay."

"I…" she hesitates, "I'm sure they'll understand."

With that, the shark sets off to the Outer Rim as I follow behind shortly.

Just as I suspected, the disparity between the Inner City and the Outer Rim is staggering. If the divide is not so obvious then, it is now. The street is visibly smaller and tighter which is made worse with the crowd density. The state of the road itself isn't the prettiest, compared to the relatively clean and maintained roads of the city, this one is much more rough and worn down in some places. The buildings are also a noticeable difference, in contrast to the magnificent architecture earlier, these are what most would call "good enough". Mind you, we only barely just left the Inner City.

Due to the Inner City being built on a higher elevation compared to the rest, the farther you go from the center the lower and lower you will eventually get until sea level. It isn't a gentle slope either, after every few minutes we have to walk down flights of stairs to reach the lower levels. It gets tiring, though I do have to admit; the view is breathtaking, comparable to that of resorts and seaside tourist destinations in Iberian or the Italic.

Due to Atlantis being built on an atoll—and the fact that the region is poor—the unmaintained road is often broken up by wooden bridges that would give safety inspectors a stroke and a heart attack.

"Holy sh–!" I almost stumble in a panic as the wooden bridge creaks and slightly bends, "How do you people live like this?"

"You get used to it." She shrugs off my complaint, "I mean, we won't be walkin' on it if it weren't safe in the first place."

As we make good distance away from the city, the crowd density begins to noticeably decrease and that's when I became aware of something. These people are trying to keep their distance from us. Is it because of me? I mean, that's a reasonable conclusion since I cleary don't live here. However, their eyes don't seem to focus on me; they're glares are directed at the person in front of me, Gura.

I noticed this behavior before when I first entered Atlantis and earlier when we entered the Outer Rim, but I shrugged it off as some kind of coincidence. It just seems so strange.

Does she know about this? Surely she does and just chooses to ignore it.

I catch up and begin walking side by side with intentions to ask her something. I want to ask her about this, ask why they're like this; but my gut apparently wants to keep my mouth shut. I remain silent for the remainder of our journey.

The sounds of crashing water become ever so evident every few steps we take, telling us how close we are to the ocean. Seagulls and pelicans perch on the houses and apartment blocks, nesting and resting as they make Atlantis as some sort of rest point in their journey across the waters. The sea breeze returns to subtly brush my face with cool air, a perfect way to refresh after taking countless steps and winding turns trying to get to our destination. Houses out here started to be more spread out and be more breathable, thankfully. The familiar green grass can be sighted here and there, telling me that we're on one of many islets that surrounds Atlantis.

"It should be just around here." She tells me as we turn one more corner, "There, just up ahead."

Though I'm still kinda lost as to where exactly there is, I can take a guess and say it's the one we're heading towards. It was a standard two story house, with a front yard. The roof is tiled with clear signs of weathering, wooden beams support the overhang of the upper floor, and walls on the gray end presumably from time. It ain't too shabby if I say so myself.

We approach the door with a knock and enter the inside, "Mom, I'm back!" She announces.

Taking a quick glance of what I could assume as the living room and to the side is a wide archway that leads into the kitchen and dining area. Various items and decorations litter the living room such as; a blue banner with a triangle design in the middle depicting a front facing shark, most likely the symbol of their clan. I also see spears, shields, and slings hanging on a wall along with a rusted helmet, a family with a warrior background perhaps? Decorative vases are seen as well, similar to that found in museums and archeological dig sites.

It definitely carries a lot of charm and personality, each item tells a story of their own, remembering their ancestors and their deeds.

"Oh, sweetie!" A soft, elderly voice came from one of the doorways, "Nice to see you back so–" She stops as her gaze locks on to me with a clear surprised expression.

Like mother, like daughter; the two are almost identical, even down to size—though her mom is slightly shorter probably due to shrinkage caused by age. Her hair is fully white and slightly graying compared to her daughter who has lively blue streaks, it's also much shorter with the hair only reaching her shoulders. Her mother's tail is noticeably more limp and less vibrant compared to her youthful child.

"By the gods, who are you?" Her mother asked in a playful manner, far from the reaction I was expecting. I can almost see her eyes sparkle at the sight of me, "No wonder my sweet little shark has been going out more frequently. I didn't know my sweetie made a new friend!"

"Mom!" The young shark cries out in a high pitch whispering voice. Her pale skin makes her blush stand out more, "She's just–"

"Come in, come in! Don't be shy." She welcomed me with open arms and invited me inside to a couch in the living room. Everything is happening so fast that my mind is lagging behind a bit, trying to pick up the pace. The younger shark, seeing no other choice, begrudgingly followed us to take a seat.

Her mother took a seat at the opposite side, facing us, "So, what brings you here? Did sweetie finally want to reveal her brand new friend to her parents, hmm?" She teases her daughter with familial banter.

"Mom," She says in an annoyed, growly voice. Her face blushes a deeper shade of red, "I uhh, brought her here to see if she could stay for a while."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"Well you see uhh, I found her unconscious by a beach and when she woke up she was apparently attacked by a big animal." She told a summarized version as I let her do all the talking, "And I decided to bring her here to maybe stay here for a bit to rest up." A forced a wide and innocent smile, seemingly trying to get her mom to say yes.

Unfortunately, her mother didn't seem all too happy, "Sweetie, didn't I tell you about talking to strangers? Especially on the outskirts?" She scolds her.

"But mom, she looked like she needed help." She whined, "Didn't you also tell me to "help anyone in need" and all that?"

Touché, their mother-daughter bond really shows with this one. I see the mother's stern frown quickly turn into a smile before leaning back into her chair into a neutral emotion.

"Hmmm…" Her mother crossed her arms. She looks at her and then looks at me, with sharp eyes piercing right through me. I try to act as innocent and defenseless as possible, my body language reverts to a relaxed state to show that I have no ill intentions. A bead of sweat drips from my forehead as I feel the pressure closing in, "Well, if my daughter trusts this stranger; then I'll trust her as well."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"If you're gonna stay here for a while, why not introduce yourself?" She says, "Let's familiarize."

Gura and I share a look. Her eyes direct me to her mother, telling me to go on and introduce myself. I take her silent word and begin without any more delay.

"I'm Amelia Watson," I started off, "your daughter already told you about the situation I'm in right now soooo… nice to meet you missus uhh–"

"Call me, Khari." She interjects.

"Umm, nice to meet you Mrs. Khari; you look very fine today I have to say." Hey, compliments can come a long way and I'm trying to build good faith here.

"Ohohoho, I'm already married~." Her mother puts her two hands on her cheeks as she blushes, "You look mighty fine yourself too, you don't see plenty of blondes here in Atlantis, you know."

Using charisma to diffuse the tension, uncle Holmes taught me that. Now that I showed her that I mean no harm, things should go smoothly from here on out. I glance over to Gura and all I say was her look of utter confusion, the look you get when you're about to say "what the fuck?". Nonetheless, I was getting somewhere.

"Tell me, miss Amelia; where do you live?"

With confidence, I utter my lie, "Up in the north."

"The north? I haven't heard of a village in the north." My heart skips a beat as I hear her doubt, "Well then again, no one really ventures that far out in the dry land." A sigh of relief escapes my body. Good, as long as no suspicion is made, I'm all good.

Making up a lie is easy enough, keeping it consistent is the hard part. During my time training under uncle Holmes, he taught me how to spot liars by examining their body language, past records, speech patterns, and spotting discrepancies between their statements. Of course with this knowledge, I became a better liar too; but I don't do it out of malice or anything, mostly to get myself out of sticky situations. Being a detective is a dangerous profession after all; not only do you have to find clues, but also have to avoid suspects catching wind because if they do, they will do everything they can to silence you. The worst part is that you won't know that until it's too late.

I continue to chit-chat with the young shark's mother for a little bit, small talks mostly. We trade questions and then exchange answers, forming connections is the best way to build trust between strangers.

"Oh by the way, do you have any spare rooms I can stay in?" The inevitable question is uttered.

The mother thought for a second before shaking her head, "Unfortunately no, all the rooms are already in use so you're gonna have to share a room with someone."

"She can stay in my room." The voice came from the shark who, up until this point, stood silent and listened, "My room should be big enough for two, i-if she doesn't mind of course."

"Hmm," She puts her hand on her chin as she thinks, "well, we do still have spare bedding around in storage."

"Sure!" I answer. Beats staying at some shady inn, "It's fine by me."

"That's great!" The elderly shark cheered, "Sweetie, could you prepare the bed for our guest?"

Without a word, the daughter stands up and heads upstairs. Footsteps can be heard above as the second floor ceiling did little to muffle the creaks and thumps from the little girl's steps. If only kids in the present were this diligent… did I just pull a "back in my day" right there? Am I getting old? Jeez, I sounded like a crusty old geezer. I mean, I gotta give credits where credit's due, that child has a wonderful future ahead.

"I have to say, she's quite responsible for a kid her age." She said, but her mom only responded with a suppressed chuckle. I, of course, became confused, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Oh she's not a kid, silly." She smiled, still trying to contain her laughter, "I assure you, she's just around your age."

The gears in my head started turning. Wires began connecting as electricity flowed through my brain as I slowly piece together this puzzle. A sudden revelation that breaks my current

understanding of things.

"You mean she's… she's not a child!?" I shout in sheer bafflement. You're telling me that a person who's a whole head shorter than me is an adult!? Sure I've met a few short people in my life, but not this short!

"Shhhh" She holds a finger over her mouth as she hushes me, "She might hear you." She warms me in a quiet voice.

I lean back in my chair as I apologize, "Sorry."

Shuffling on the floor above is heard all the while the conversation carries on. Genetics really gave that girl the short end of the stick, literally; yet despite this, she seems to live on like normal despite the disadvantages of being small, which is admirable honestly. Man, if she existed in my times, I could only imagine the amount of people who would call the police to report a lost child. If it makes her feel better, I know tons of people on social media who would be envious of her young and youthful look.

"I heard from your daughter about the "Gawr" clan earlier." A detail from before that I took a mental note of, I think it's a good time to ask the older member about this, "Can you tell me more about this clan? I'm curious."

The mother looks at me and smiles, "The Gawr clan carries quite a hefty history." She started, "We were regarded as exceptional warriors, with skills and ferocity unmatched." The elderly shark looks at the armory on display, "Due to this, many tribes would request help from us and temporarily recruit us to fight whatever war they have."

"Like mercenaries?"

"Yes." She replies, "Though, as a result of the rampant recruitment, the clan's population dwindled as we constantly took part in wars not our own." Her face transforms into a frown. I sat there silently, listening eagerly as she continued her story.

"Add the fact that, as the tribes developed, the need for mercenaries became lower and lower." Mrs. Khari looks at me, "By the time Atlantis was founded, the Gawr clan had already given up their warrior ways, but the stigma still lived on; fear the shark ."

"That's quite an unfortunate history." I express my sympathies.

Quick light steps made its way up and about the second floor. I see the skarkgirl coming down the stairs and turning to a corner, presumably to get something for the bed I'm gonna sleep on tonight. A minute or so later she appears in the corner and then goes up the stairs with the bedding at hand, though it seems like struggling considering her and the rolled up fabric are almost the same height. She kept her balance, steady and nimble until she made it all the way up.

THUD!

"OUCH!" A rough and muffled voice came from above.

The mother looks concerned, "You alright, sweetie?"

A couple of seconds go by and a few grunts and moans are picked up by our ears. The creaky floorboards didn't help to cover much of the sound, in fact, it made her struggle a lot more audible.

"I'm… fine." The reply came shakily. It sounds like she's having trouble standing up, must've been a nasty fall. To most people, tripping is a comedic or even hilarious accident that can befall a person, but in reality a simple fall can cause serious injuries depending on what part of the body lands first. Considering the thud sounded like a proper impact, I highly doubt that it was a simple stumble like I initially thought.

I lean forward on the couch, "I'll go check on her." The mother nods as I quickly make my way up the stairs to see the accident for myself.

As I reach the second floor my eyes are met with the little shark rubbing and soothing her soar forehead and around her is a mess of fabric and pillows all scattered on the wooden floorboards. Returning my gaze to her I saw a glimpse of a droplet of tear forming in the corner of her eye as she muffle the grunts and groans. I immediately ran up to her to check.

"What happened?" I ask as I kneel to her eye level.

"Mmmn… I tripped myself on that stoopid thing." Just as I suspected, she most likely stepped on a loose fabric, causing her to lose balance and land head first onto the wooden boards. Landing on your head is never a good outcome in any situation, but by the looks of it, she's alright; a bit of red but she'll be fine.

Well, since I'm already here I might as well help her out. I move over the pile of fabric on the ground; it's off-white in color which is probably caused by age, it's outlined by a blue border as the inside is littered with shark motifs making a pattern. Crease marks from the fold are visible, telling that it's not been used for a long time. Probably the most important criteria is comfort, so far, holding it feels soft and smooth to the touch. I hastily fold the fabric for ease of transport as I carry it on my arm.

"What are you doing?" The shark, who's already on her feet, asks.

"Helping you." I simply reply.

She then approached me, "I can do that myself, thank you very much." By the looks of it, she intends to take the fabric in my arms. With quick thinking I raise my hands above my head along with the cloth, taking advantage of her short stature, "Gimme it!" She jumps and stretches, with each attempt barely even getting close.

I can't help but let out a smile as I watch her fruitless effort. She eventually stops and stomps one of leg on the floor as her tail swing flipped and flopped on the wood below us. She gives me an angry pouting look, I almost feel bad doing it

"Look, I'm only trying to help you out here." I reasoned with her.

She eyed me with the same facial expression, "Fine…" she mumbles under her breath. She, instead, marches towards the pillow that remained on the floor. Without another word she advances forward in the corridor before turning to the open door to her right, which I assume to be her room. I follow her shortly as I enter her personal quarters. The room was quite uhh, barren to say the least; only containing the bed, a chest, an open hanger, and a carpet. A single windowsill lit up the room with the setting sun's rays, it's just above the horizon. The sky and clouds above are a blend of orange and dark blue, announcing the approach of dusk.

I return my sights to see Gura laying the pillow on the carpet earning her a judging stare from me.

"So that's where I'm gonna sleep, on the carpet?"

The Atlantean looks at me, "Well… ye-yeah." She answers, "Sorry that we didn't have a spare bed, I mean it's waaaay better than sleeping on the wooden floor if you ask me."

… Beggars can't be choosers, I guess.

With a sigh of defeat, I help set up the quote unquote "bed" by placing my soon-to-be blanket next to the pillows which is, again, in an off-white color. At least it looks soft and comfy, so that's a plus in my books. There's no use complaining really, I just about got everything I need in order to survive.

For the meantime, I remain here in her room, recuperating myself as I hadn't done so since I was shoved into a time hole thing. I check the inner pockets of my coat just in to see if I had brought something else with me on my time excursion. Other than lint I found a notepad with a bunch of pens and pencils, some I just forgot to throw out. I check again and I find my phone, which is cracked and broken; probably got crushed when I was unceremoniously thrown out of a portal. That was expensive too, ugh , I should've bought the other brand. Other than my trusty magnifying glass and fake mustache, I found nothing else in my storage.

I glance over to the Atlantean, fidgeting with her fingers and combing her hair with her fingers. I don't really have anything to talk about, nothing to break the ice. If she's minding her own business, I should continue to mind mine.

I pull out my pistol from its holster, inspecting the revolver. It's gifted to me by papa Watson after finishing my apprenticeship with uncle Holmes. I check the cylinder and it's empty; phew , even if I pulled the trigger back then nothing would've happened. I silently reloadedthe revolver with a full six bullets before putting it back to its holster. Twilight approaches ever so nearer as the room begins to get dimmer and dimmer as the gold rays slowly hide beneath the horizon.

Knock knock…

The sound came from downstairs, a visitor maybe? I look over to Gura and she seems perked up, it's subtle, and can be easily missed by the untrained eye; but not me. Thanks again, uncle Holmes.

I continue to listen, the front door swings open with a squeak followed by footsteps. The shark slowly walks up to her open doorway, peeking around the corner. I follow suit as well, though we both do it with clearly different intentions. Lighter footsteps are received by my ears, presumably from her mom. It's most definitely a relative, I'm sure of it.

"Welcome back, sweetie!" The muffled voice coming from the mother greets this mysterious individual. The shark made her way down the corridor just by the flight of stairs; I, again, accompanied her. The shark squats on the floor while holding on to the balusters for support while I simply peek over her.

"I was worried you we're coming home late again." The mother expresses her surprise and relief. Needs more context to form a full picture.

"My friends and coworkers were too busy to go out so I headed home early instead." That's definitely a male by the sound of his voice. The view from the second floor doesn't really give me any visuals of this man, "Plus, I bought bread for us to eat."

I hear something being placed somewhere, a bag presumably considering the context.

"How's lil' sis?" I glance at the little sister in question, whose eyes are still eagerly looking down the flight of stairs.

"Oh, she's upstairs setting up the bed for a visitor." The mother responds.

The sharkgirl then made her move to walk down the stairs and she did so in the most careful and careful way possible. Her steps are soft and light making no sound, I try to mimic her movements with no success at all as my leather shoes make a clear thump of the wooden floor.

"And speaking of." Mrs. Khari notices us as well as her brother.

In contrast with her little sister, her brother is tall compared to the shorter family members; muscles on the arms are visible, most likely gained through hard work and labor. His hair is slightly long and spiky, the colors are similar with the same grayish white with blue being more prominent especially as his under hair color seen on his bangs and sides. His eyes are more on the pale blue side yet still stands out. He wears the usual wear of this era, a white tunic with a blue toga hanging from his shoulders. Around his waist were some pouches hanging by a string tied around him.

"What's up, lil' sis?" He greets her with a wave.

"Hey uh…" The younger sibling plainly responds with an indifferent tone. "It's been nice." She answers in short sentences, no indication or intention to incite a conversation. You don't need to be the number one detective to see that there's some sort of rift between them, at least for the younger of the two.

I wonder what my brothers are doing back home? I haven't seen them in years after we parted to focus on our different careers. I hope they're safe.

The elder sibling flashed a worried look before turning his eyes on me. The familiar skeptical eyes lay upon me, but this time I'm prepared for anything, "So you must be the visitor?"

I nod my head with high amounts of confidence flowing, "Yup, I'm Amelia Watson."

"She'll be staying with us for a while" Their mother interjects as she explains my situation for me, "Apparently your little sister found her on the outskirts unconscious, she said she was attacked while on her way down south."

He puts a finger to his chin, "That's a rough situation." He states before returning his gaze to me, "I'm glad you've made it out unharmed by the looks of it. You're lucky that lil' sis found you first, not everyone is always willing to help like her." Her brother is a lot more welcoming than I first thought, which certainly surprised me. I shift my eyes to the right and see Gura sporting a light blush covering her forced neutral look.

"The name's Ketos, hope you find your stay here welcoming." He introduced himself.

"Thanks! I never felt out of place here despite being far from my hometown." I return the positivity.

The elderly mother lights up with glee, "That's nice to hear." Her smile was very heartwarming and pure, "Now then, let's eat some dinner before dusk sets in."

Their mother walks over to the kitchen where I see a woven basket with baked goods inside. I see the siblings walk over to the dining area, Gura taking a piece of bread in the basket before she shuffles around the pantry for something, it didn't take long before her brother grabs what she's reaching for, it's a halved cheese wheel to which the young Atlantean silently takes to the table. Just by the actions alone I can see their individuality, the elder shark is more outgoing and more willing; while the younger is more recluse and conservative. I do wonder if they're always like this, their interaction a minute ago suggests this.

Their mother on the other hand grabs a ceramic pot and places it on the counter, from here I could roughly see that it contains salted fish. The three Gawr clan members sit around the table, eating dinner as purple sky turns to a dark twilight.

I know what I said earlier, but I never felt more alone in my entire life… I have never felt so out of place. This lingering feeling finally settled in me as the wonder fades out as the sunlight outside and reality creeps in as the darkness of the night did. I'm stranded on an island and everything around me is uncharted waters. Although the welcoming appeal and open arms approach gives me a sense of comfort, it still couldn't fill the piece missing in my heart, the piece of familiarity.

It just doesn't feel the same without my investigators, it doesn't feel the same without my family.

I stand silently as I lean on the archway, watching the family with an empty smile. When most media covers time traveling mainly just tells the fantastical and whimsical idea of experiencing the past, but I'm feeling neither of that.

"You can join us too." The motherly voice reached my ears. I pull my face up to see Mrs. Khari looking at me, her eyes inviting me to the table, "We have plenty to share with."

Well, I am feeling hungry; I haven't eaten anything since I got here.

I approach the dining table and occupy the last seat available, sitting between the mother and the younger sibling. I skipped on the bread and went straight for the cheese and fish, not a combination most people would expect but it'll do as long as I don't starve to death. The setting of a family eating together is often regarded as a symbol of familial bonding, and I can certainly attest to that. Just eating together in general is a universal gesture of trust and safety between individuals, a trait that dates back to prehistoric time—when man hid in caves, living by the warmth of a lit fire—and it still rings true throughout the millennia as a sign of camaraderie.

Night quickly draped over Atlantis as the streets became empty. With dusk also comes rest, unlike back in my times, ancient people don't really have much to do after the sun hides under the horizon; whereas modern humans work overnight as they're fueled by caffeine, ancient humans take this time to retire. The streets are almost empty, save for few taking nightly strolls and the distant yelling of drunkards from a nearby bar somewhere. They certainly must be having the time of their lives.

I lay on my bed, sitting actually, as a singular oil lamp lit the room. Gura is already tucked in, but not asleep, probably has something on her mind. I mind my own business. The open window provided a constant cool breeze, a substitute for the lack of air-conditioning this era has. It's calming and can certainly put someone to sleep in no time.

"Hey… Amelia." A soft voice calls out. I turn around to face her half-lidded eyes, her pristine blue pupils reflect the moonlight like a jewel freshly polished. It's almost hypnotizing to stare at, "What does your home look like?"

I thought for a second. I haven't really prepared an answer for a question like that, nor did I ever think it would be brought up in the first place.'

"I've only heard stories from my dad about how the outside is different from Atlantis." She explains, "I want to hear it from you, y'know… being a land-dweller and everything."

I stay silent, hesitant, and careful of what comes out of my mouth, "Well, your dad was right about it being different." I choose my words carefully, "Instead of a vast ocean, my home is surrounded by grassy plains as far as the eye can see. Huge farmlands and extensive orchids litter the place." I spread out my arms, allowing her to visualize the scene, "In the background, tall and magnificent mountains guarding the peaceful environment below." Now I'm just making shit up at this point, a hodgepodge of scenic views is keep seeing in travel logs.

"How about animals? Dad always told me about these cats, dogs, and pigs, and uh chickens, and–"

"Oh yeah!" Finally, something that I have some knowledge in, "Cat and dogs, we keep them as pets like a companion and they're so cute and cuddly." The Atlantean became ever more intrigued. Judging by that reaction, I can guess that everyday Atlanteans most likely haven't even seen these animals in person; probably just familiar with birds, fishes, and other amphibious creatures that pass by here, "Those pigs and chicken that you mentioned are what we call livestock and poultry, we take care of them for food and other commodities. There's also cows, goats, and sheeps that fall under that category." I try my best explaining these in layman's terms as I can.

The shark face, despite the little light emitting from the lamp, lit up with curiosity, "The cities," She blurted out, "what do your cities look like?"

"Umm," Quick, Watson; think of something! You can't just leave her hanging, "yeah, I've visited a few cities while I was traveling. They're big and crowded with people, littered with magnificent structures and temples." Half-assed, but it should do, "I can't really describe it but each city has their own charm, I guess you're gonna have to see it to really know what I'm talking about."

I keep my gaze on the sleepy Atlantean, despite the tired look the feeling of wonder still shines through. The girl yawns as sleep quickly takes over her. I fight the urge to let out a yawn, but ultimately I succumb to it as well; I had a long day, a very long day may I add.

"I guess it's time to hit the sack." I said, looking at her ever so sleepy face. "Yeah." Her voice trails off in a bid of drowsiness, "Goodnight, Amelia." "Goodnight to you too." I return.

With all the remaining energy in her body, Gura blew out the oil lamp before laying her head on the pillow. The moonlight seeps through the window, as my eyelids draw closer and closer to being shut, and before I know it; I'm asleep.

Author's Note:

Large amounts of lore and worldbuilding have been dropped, as well as some references to other holomems and their lore. I'm looking forward for your feedback about this. Trying to tie together the lore between every single holomem is honestly really fun and, to be honest, Hololive lore is one of the best Vtubing has to offer.

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