TWs: Graphic depiction of a panic attack, mention of blood/death/destruction/World War Two. Stay safe :)
"National Air and Space Museum... this is it!" Earth grinned, turning to the others. He pursed his lips, eyeing everyone, "We have two hours until it closes, which should be plenty of time to look around! First things first, though... some rules."
His heterochromic stare landed on Neptune, "Do not lick the displays."
Then he moved to Saturn, "Do not touch the displays."
Then Makemake, "Keep your distance, not everything has to be observed up close."
Then he moved onto Ariel, shaking his head, "Just don't."
And finally Proteus, "Same goes for you."
"Same goes for all of you!" Earth called, leaving no room for question as he went ahead and went inside.
However, he froze upon entering the building, eyes going wide as he stared in bewilderment at the museum displays.
"Woah, what are those things...?" Ganymede uttered.
Luna grinned, recognizing them immediately, "Aircrafts!"
Everyone stared in wonder and amazement, gazes filled with awe and excitement.
"Hey, that one looks familiar." Mars pointed out, eyeing a sleek, metallic silver cylindrical vessel with a pointed nose and ion-propulsion engines.
"It should. It's a rocketship- Earthlings use them to get to space." Luna spoke, "Of course, these are all models, so they don't work... but it's cool to look at."
As everyone dispersed in their small groups, Earth stayed by the entrance, taking it all in. He pressed his lips together in a thin line, gazing at a World War Two fighter jet being supported by wires. He gulped, taking shaky breaths to calm his rising anxiety.
'It's just a model, you have nothing to worry about...' He thought to himself as he took a few steps forward, his eyes trained on the fighter plane above him, 'It can't... it can't hurt you- not anymore.'
It's going to fall. Power. It's going to fall. Destruction. It's going to fall. Blood. It's going to fall. Bullets. It's going to fall. Explosions. It's going to fall. Death. It's going to-
Thick crimson liquid flashed in his eyes, making him flinch as he raised a hand to his head, pulling at his blue and green hair.
The blood-curdling screams, millions of people dying, decaying on his soil as crimson seeped out of bullet-ridden corpses.
"...rth?" A faraway voice called out.
Earth inhaled sharply, the violent visions haunting his mind like a paralyzing nightmare. The floor grew closer as he fell to his knees, the prickling sensation uncomfortably numb.
He lowered his head, trying to correct his trembling breathing, 'I'm fine, you're fine, I'm fine, you're fine...'
"Earth...?" A hand was placed on his shoulder, making him whip his head up.
"Yes?" Earth spoke, his voice oddly stable despite the panic and fear in his eyes.
"Are you...?" Luna trailed off, making a gesture with his fingers.
Earth sighed, "I just need a breather, that's all..."
Luna observed how Earth sidestepped discussing his emotions. He tilted his head, attempting to read the other's feelings. Luna gestured to the rest, silently indicating that the vibrant Celestial would be fine.
Earth stood up, realizing somewhere in his panic attack that he had collapsed on the floor. He let out a sigh, dusting himself off. His eyes started drifting upwards until pale hands forced him to look into distressed pools of yellow.
"Maybe it'd be best if we went to a different area?" Luna suggested with a strained smile on his face.
"Mmkay...?" Earth mumbled, swatting the Celestite's hands away before looking around. His eyes fell on a black curtain, a cardboard sign beside it reading, Exploring the Planets Gallery.
Curiosity pulled Earth toward the exhibit, ignoring the line of questioning from the others as he briefly walked over to get a closer look at the sign. He tilted his head, raising a hand to his chin.
"I've mentioned many times, Earth - you need to stop wandering off." Sun sighed. Earth remained silent, gazing at the digital image on the sign displaying a dark backdrop with a yellow Star and several surrounding planets. Countless white specks were scattered throughout.
"What are you looking at?" Luna asked.
"That looks like our solar system." Mars pointed out.
"I believe it is." Jupiter spoke, "What does it say?"
Earth was silent, brows furrowed and lips pressed together, 'I should know everything about this exhibit- how come I know nothing?'
"Earth?" Luna nudged him with his elbow, jolting him from his train of thought.
"Oh, uh, right... it says; Exploration reveals that our solar system is filled with amazingly diverse places that transform our understanding of Earth and worlds beyond." Earth read aloud the sign's description, "The Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery probes the science and history of our exploration of planets, moons, and other objects in our solar system. This exhibit tells the stories of the diversity of worlds circling our Sun and how exploring those worlds helps enhance our own understanding of scientists in the Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, who are actively involved in current planetary missions... so it's an exhibit about you guys, I think."
Luna raised an eyebrow, "That includes you too, Earth."
"...Huh? Oh, it does say Earth, I mean- of course, it does, we are on the Ear- my surface in this weird illusion-thingy." Earth smiled, yet Luna noticed how tight it seemed to be.
Luna caught Mars' questioning gaze, the former shrugging and shaking his head.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go in!" Saturn grinned, latching onto Jupiter's arm and dragging him into the exhibit.
"Maybe they have more information about us," Ganymede said, offering his girlfriend a hand.
"Or at least some pictures." Europa took his hand, using the other hand to fix her hair, "I hope they got my good side..."
Ganymede frowned, looking at her, "But every part of you looks amazing."
"W-Well, duh!" Europa blushed, acting as if she didn't like or need the compliment. She puffed her cheeks out in feigned annoyance, "I don't need you to confirm it..."
A smile tugged at Ganymede's lips, finding her actions adorable, "Of course, you don't..."
"Stay close to Neptune, Proteus." Triton instructed the smallest Celestite, "I don't want you getting lost again."
"Okay, Triton!" Proteus smiled, about to walk away when he remembered something, "Oh, I almost forgot!"
"Wha-?" Triton was cut off by Proteus colliding with his body in a one-sided hug, his small arms barely making it around the Celestial's torso. Triton forced his body to relax, his hands hovering as he silently wondered what to do, "Uh... what's this for?"
"I just felt like it!" Proteus laughed, his voice coming off muffled.
Triton sighed in exasperation, yet returned the hug, avoiding eye contact with a smug-looking Callisto.
As soon as Proteus skipped away to join Neptune's side, Callisto cleared her throat, a playful smile on her face, "So, tell me again how you don't care for them?"
Triton grumbled under his breath, walking away from the other.
"What was that?" Callisto followed after him, leaning closer.
"Just a little."
"Mhm, right..."
Luna turned to face his parent Celestial, tugging at his wrist, "Come on! Let's go check it out!"
Earth let himself be dragged away, heterochromia eyes looking into a pair of pale yellow. The lively Celestial found them to be familiar, but before he could question it further, Luna turned away from him, letting go of Earth's wrist so he could freely run further into the exhibit.
Earth frowned, thinking to himself, 'I feel like I've seen those eyes before... a long time ago.'
He shook the thought away, opting to push aside the black curtain of the exhibit and walk into the ataraxic room.
From afar, a Celestial with sepia and chestnut skin watched the interactions, reverie playing in her mind.
"What is it, Miss Theia?" Cardea, an irregular Saturnian Celestite, questioned.
Theia shook her head, "It's nothing, dear... I just have a feeling."
"A bad one?" Nona guessed.
Theia nodded, "Earth... I can't help but feel as if he's slowly losing himself all over again."
"I mean, h-he had a panic attack not even ten m-minutes ago," Herschel spoke.
"And it's happening more frequently." Morta crossed her arms.
"So what should we do?" Pericles asked.
Theia hummed before looking at the others, "We have to protect Earth from anything else happening."
"But how? It's not like we can interact with anything here either." Euphronius muttered.
Theia shook her head, "Actually, there is one way, but it's not going to be easy..."
Decima stepped forward, glancing at the other Celestites, shrugging lightly, "Well, it's not like we have anything better to do."
Morta nodded, "We're by your side always, Theia."
"I can't thank you enough, everyone," Theia softly smiled, looking at all of them, "Let's get to work."
« NOTE »
Uhm, that was a lot.
Every piece of information in the next chapter is going to be from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum website (just cut down into shorter paragraphs)
As a disclaimer, I don't live in DC and have never stepped foot inside their museums. I chose the state since it's where NASA's main headquarters are.
And as such, a few familiar faces might also appear later... ;)
Comments are appreciated 3