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This had to be the place. I’d followed Alva’s directions:
“So to get to the RCC - Regional Control Centre, though we just call it ‘the Base’ - you’re gonna need to go way East. All the way through the Tenakth Clanlands - those are the so-called “barbarians” on the mainland, but their culture is really quite nuanced and intriguingly inspired by a set of museum holograms about… not important right now. So, follow the roads through the jungle, and across the desert past an old solar plant - the Desert Clan capital of Scalding Spear!”
“If any Tenakth give you trouble, just tell them you’re a companion of Aloy, Hekarro’s champion, and they’ll let you right through. Aloy did Hekarro a major favour, kind of saved him from being overthrown and murdered before having his tribe destroyed, so they’re big fans of Aloy.”
It tracked. Another civilisation, another heroic act of salvation by Aloy.
“And once you’re past Scalding Spear, follow the path I’ve marked on your focus into the mountains. You’re looking for a small Tenakth recon tower. Just past it is a rock wall you can climb, and then at the top of that is the base door! Should be a simple feat for someone of your skills! Just don’t make eye contact with the Tenakth stationed at the recon tower… she’s really gossipy, you’ll be there for hours.”
It had taken me a long time to get to this place. Two months getting my Quen expedition from the Burning Shores seaworthy and joined up with the group in San Francisco. Spending those same months helping my sister to readjust and convincing Admiral Gerrit not to discipline her severely for mutiny. Helping the other Quen hoodwinked by Londra to get back on their feet.
And, when everything was finally well - including my sister - and I got the Admiral’s permission to depart, the gruelling trek across the Clanlands. Machines every step of the way, challenging terrain… but true to Alva’s word, the Tenakth hadn’t given me trouble once I told them I was with Hekarro’s champion.
Although was I with her or with her?? It had been months. We hadn’t talked over the Focus. I mean, before she left on the beach-
Her mouth on mine for an all-too-brief moment, her sparkling eyes afterwards. “Wow.”
I shook my head to break the reverie and took some deep breaths.
“I’ll never forget you, Seyka.”
I smacked myself on the cheek. It would be fine. This would be fine. Aloy had promised… and I trusted Aloy. Completely. And utterly.
And Alva had told me that Aloy was alone in the base with her sister and GAIA. So even better. None of those muscular and tanned Desert Clan Tenakth at the base.
The base I thought I was right outside. Recon tower: check (including two Tenakth sitting around a campfire, one selling provisions and the other just… sitting). Cliff face: I checked against the picture Alva had sent to my focus, and it matched. Now the climb.
Thankfully, it was easy. I clambered over the top, and was greeted by the sight of an Old World door. I was here. But the door handle was glowing red. I opened a channel to GAIA.
“Umm… GAIA?”
“Yes, Seyka?” The warm voice replied almost instantly.
“I think I’m outside the base but the door is locked.”
“Ah, yes. One of Aloy’s security protocols. The longer we stay here, the higher the risk of raiders or bandits finding us.”
So Aloy had locked me out. Okay. Okay. That was fine. It was just a security measure. Just security. Completely not a metaphor.
“Allow me to add your credentials to the base’s systems.” GAIA sounded like she was smiling as I saw the handle change to that friendly lilac shade. “Welcome, Seyka. Aloy has been eagerly awaiting your return.”
My heart skipped a beat. Several, really. “She has?”
“Her average heart-rate has been elevated by 6 beats per minute today versus the prior week. She spent twice her usual amount of time braiding her hair this week relative to the last. Time spent pacing is up by 12%, while time spent staring into space is-”
I felt all fuzzy. “I get the picture.” She’d missed me. She’d missed me. Like I’d missed her.
“Currently, Aloy and Beta are in residence. Would you like me to inform them you’ve arrived?”
I hesitated. “Maybe… it could be a surprise?”
GAIA paused for a moment. “Aloy usually does not like surprises-”
“Oh. Okay, then-”
“But I believe your arrival will be a very pleasant exception.”
“Oh.”
“You have been an exception to Aloy’s typical patterns in many ways.”
I swallowed, suddenly tense. Well, tenser. I suddenly felt like I was being given the once-over by Aloy’s mother. “Okay.”
“Aloy is in her room. At the end of the corridor inside these double doors, go to the second door on your left. I recommend being extremely quiet if you wish to surprise her. She is incredibly perceptive.”
“Yeah. Incredible.” I blinked, realising too late I’d misheard. “Perceptive. Incredibly perceptive! I was just agreeing-”
“Quite. I will let you get on with your surprise. Let’s speak later today, once you’ve settled in. I’m also disconnecting the rest of the focuses from yours and Aloy’s for the rest of the day.”
Disconnecting focuses? Why would… oh. Right. I felt all flustered again.
GAIA cut the line.
I took several deep breaths. I could do this. I could do this. I was going to do this. It was just Aloy. “Just” Aloy. Saviour of Meridian. Anointed of the Nora. Champion of the Tenakth. Horus-slayer. Beautiful, intelligent, witty, kind, funny Aloy.
I checked my reflection in the metal door and quickly redid my ponytail.
Deep breath. Deep breath. “Get ahold of yourself, Seyka.” I muttered unconvincingly. “You fought a Horus. You fought a Horus. You can do this.”
I swiped the door handle before I lost my nerve and the door slid open - a little slower than normal for these doors, but completely silently. A gift from GAIA? I crept forwards. A spacious, winding corridor led deeper into the mountain, piled high with supplies and building materials. The door at the far end likewise opened silently at my touch. I stared open-mouthed at the space beyond.
A circular chamber, clearly old world, with a depression on the floor. Everything intact. Comfortable looking chairs. Fresh greenery everywhere, but well looked after and not running rampant. Pretty lights. Mementos and trophies scattered about. Stairs leading up (to GAIA’s room I think, based on Alva’s description), and a lot of double doors around the edges of the room. In the middle of the room was a long counter, and Aloy-
I froze in place. Aloy was right there! On this side of the counter, examining some focus data. Not in her room. Not at all in her room. I closed my mouth so it wouldn’t be hanging open if she turned around. Thankfully, she was facing away from me, so she hadn’t seen my undignified entrance.
She was facing away from me. I smiled: much better than in her room. I could sneak up on her. If I was really really quiet. I gently put my pack and weapons down on the floor and steadied myself.
I crept forwards, one step at a time. I drunk her in as I approached. That same flame-red hair, but done in a different style. Maybe the braids were just for out and about? A little shorter too, just down past her shoulders. GAIA had mentioned something about new hair…
New clothes too - simple white clothes, like the Ancestors would have worn. Maybe this was what she wore when she was out of her Thunderjaw armour, or just when she was in her cozy, secure, and super-amazing base.
I was crushing this stealth approach. She hadn’t heard me at all. I was amazed she hadn’t heard me by now. I was right behind her, and her hearing was so keen.
I hesitated - I hadn’t expected to get this far. I swallowed and steeled my resolve. Aloy wanted to see me. GAIA had said Aloy wanted to see me.
I would not be afraid. I could kiss the back of her head? Or hug her from behind! Or even…
I tapped her gently on the shoulder.
Aloy let out a hilariously girlish shriek and spun around to face me. Her eyes widened in shock. “Oh my god!”
Seeing her face again banished every butterfly and sent warmth flooding through me. I beamed at her - maybe the widest smile I’d ever smiled - and dived for a hug.
“No!” She tried to shove me away playfully and I laughed, figuring she was playacting being cross at me for sneaking up on her. If she actually wanted to push me back, she could have shoved a lot harder. That was a baby shove.
“Sorry, but I missed you.” Still smiling, I kissed her on the cheek and Aloy recoiled-
Aloy recoiled away.
Icy dread surged through my veins, an inexorable, unfathomable cold burning into every part of me.
Aloy recoiled away from my touch.
I pulled back and let go immediately, staring at my feet in horror as my face flooded a burning red.
Not a playful shove. Not playful at all. She’d recoiled, she wanted me gone, she didn’t… she hadn’t… she hadn’t meant it back there on the beach…
I spun around, fighting down tears before they came and sprinting for the door, wishing the earth would swallow me so that-
“Beta, is everythi- SEYKA!” Aloy’s voice came from my right.
But Aloy was behind me, so she couldn’t be-
Instinctively, I looked to my right.
Aloy was bounding towards me, her gorgeous hair in those same bountiful braids, eyes bright, resplendent in Thunderjaw armour, beaming at me as she ran forwards.
WHAT THE HELL?
Aloy leaped and tackled me into a crushing hug. I was still frozen, processing.
So. Aloy was in her room. And came out when she heard-
Beta. Aloy’s sister. Apparently her identical sister. Oh, ancestors.
Aloy suddenly broke off the hug (why on earth had she done that, that was so unfair) and took a step back, brow furrowing adorably. “Oh… Seyka… is everything-”
I lunged forward and kissed her on the cheek.
I smiled hopefully. Aloy’s cheeks went scarlet. She smiled back shyly.
Relief flooded through me, and I pulled her into a tight hug. Her hair smelled the same as it had on that beach. Her arms felt the same wrapped around me as they had that day, and-
Beta cleared her throat behind me.
I broke off the hug and turned to face her, cheeks scarlet again. Beta was staring at me with an incredibly bemused expression (I couldn’t help the small rush of joy at seeing Aloy shoot Beta a frustrated look for the interruption).
“Aloy, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Beta smirked.
“Oh. I thought you’d already got acquainted?” Aloy looked between Beta and I questioningly.
She hadn’t seen. She hadn’t seen. Thank the ancestors. But what if Beta-
“We were very nearly… acquainted, but I got startled.” Beta smiled. Thank GAIA, she was covering for me. “You know me, and Seyka’s a bit of a ninja.”
“Ninja?” I frowned, puzzled at the word.
“Seyka, this is Beta, my sister.” Aloy beamed. “Beta, this is Seyka. My-”
“First love?” Beta said innocently, tilting her head to one side.
“What?” Aloy’s face went as red as her hair. Mine followed right behind. “Beta-”
“She’s really missed you, you know.” Beta grinned at me. “She’s been lying awake at night.” Really?!
“Beta!” Aloy sounded outraged.
“She’s been asking GAIA and Alva for updates nonstop.”
“Beta!” Aloy was pleading.
“She actually tried drawing you once, which turned out truly awful but was really sweet-”
“BETA!” Aloy was using her 'Thunderjaw-hunting' facial expression now.
Beta’s eyes sparkled with glee. “Anyway, so great to meet you Seyka. I mean, I feel like I know you already, I’ve heard so much about-”
“If you say one more word, Beta, I’m tying you up and leaving you at a Slitherfang site!”
Beta smirked and held up both hands. “Anyway. Why don’t I give you two some time to… catch up.”
I smiled gratefully at her. “It was… so great meeting you Beta. Let’s talk more later. Thank you for being so welcoming.”
“Of course!” Beta smiled at me.
I dropped my voice to a faux whisper. “And what did you hear about me, exactly?” I smirked at Aloy.
“Seyka!” Aloy gasped, smacking my shoulder. Hard. Ouch.
“I’ll tell you later.” Beta mock whispered. I smiled at her. Aloy glared at her silently. “So. I’m gonna go to my room. Downstairs. Far away. And I’ll watch one of my shows. Really loudly. So loud I won’t be able to hear anything else.” Beta winked at me and started to saunter away.
I was bright red. Aloy’s face was also bright red, but fixed in a murderous expression (which was really, really weirdly attractive).
“I’m sorry, she watched a lot of Old World shows. And Romcoms.” Aloy spun to face me, face going pleading. I frowned. What did Old World shows have to do with- “So she gets ideas from programs, about things that are funny, and I think she’s been planning something like this, and I’m sorry my sister is-”
“Your sister is great.” I bumped Aloy’s side gently with my own and squeezed her shoulder. “So great.”
Aloy blinked. “She didn’t annoy you?”
“Not at all!” I owe her my life. “Plus, she’s never helped a Zenith try to destroy the world, so that’s another point in her favour.”
Aloy hesitated, then nodded quickly. I frowned: what was that about?
Aloy looked at her feet. I looked at Aloy’s face from the side. She was so gorgeous. I’d missed her so much.
Wait, what if she caught me looking?! I looked at my feet. I coughed.
Aloy coughed.
Would she mind if I hugged her again? Or kissed her? Or did something, anything to keep this from being-
“There’s a Thunderjaw that’s wandered a bit close to the base on the Eastern side.” Aloy piped up, making eye contact. “Want to go hunt it together? We can grab dinner once we’re?”
Perfect. “I’d love that.” I smiled at her.
Aloy smiled back.
Little butterflies exploded in my stomach.
+++
Later that evening
“And, last but not least, this is my room.” Aloy opened the double doors and led me inside. “This concludes the post-dinner tour.”
The room was nice. Spacious, but cozy. Lots of memorabilia. Some training dummies. An enormous storage chest that looked close to bursting its seams. And a big, comfy looking bed. Fit for an empress.
I kicked off my shoes and moved deeper into the room as the doors slid closed behind us, standing between the training dummies and the bed. “I love it. It’s very cozy.”
“Yeah, Zo helped me decorate. I wouldn’t have known where to start, really.” Aloy moved up beside me.
She glanced over at me. Aloy swallowed. I raised an eyebrow at her.
Acting like I was going to bite her, Aloy slowly put one arm around my shoulders. I smiled and leaned into her side. Aloy relaxed. I closed my eyes and smiled wider, focusing on the feeling of her breathing in and out beside me.
“So… Beta said you missed me.” I could hear the smile in her voice.
I stiffened. What had Beta said? “What did she say?”
“While you were getting seconds at dinner, she mentioned there had been a little… confusion. Mistaken identity.”
Curse you Beta!
I opened my eyes and straightened up. “Nobody told me your sister was identical! Do you have any idea how rare that is?”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind.” Aloy smirked. I frowned. Why was she- “Besides, now I have this.”
Aloy tapped her focus. An image flashed up on my focus.
It was a picture of me. With the biggest, stupidest, sappy smile on my face. Arms outstretched, frozen like I was leaping forwards.
My mouth dropped open. What was that?
“Beta’s focus is set up to record every combat training exercise and situation she’s in, so she can review them for her studies later. And apparently, you tricked the software into thinking it was a surprise attack, so it captured this beautiful picture. She sent it to me.” Aloy beamed innocently.
I pulled myself out of her arms and poked her shoulder. “Delete that! Right now!!”
“Aww, but you look so cute. So happy to see me.” Aloy’s smile widened. “I think I’m gonna put a big version of it on that wall so I can always remember how much you miss-”
I tackled Aloy to the floor.
“Get off!” Aloy laughed, shoving me playfully (for real this time!).
“DELETE IT!!”
“Never!” Aloy batted my hands away, her whole body shaking with laughter.
“I’LL MAKE YOU!” I wrestled her onto her back as she struggled (she’d been trained so well, and she was so damned strong) and pinned her there, pulling her focus off with a triumphant yell and tossing it over my shoulder.
I smiled down at Aloy triumphantly.
Aloy stared back, breathing hard. Her hair was a complete mess, spread out beneath her. Her face was flushed.
Come to think of it, I was also pretty flushed. And breathing very hard.
Aloy stared at me. I stared back.
I slowly bent down until our faces were inches apart. It felt like nothing else in the world existed.
“Did you?” Aloy asked breathily.
“Did I what?” I murmured, staring at her mouth.
“Miss me?” I made eye contact with her as she blushed. “Like I missed you?”
A different warmth flooded me. “Aloy…”
“Because I… Seyka I missed you so much, every day, and-”
I kissed her forehead. Then one cheek. Then the other. Then her nose. Her chin. Aloy giggled.
I covered her face in kisses as she giggled louder, twisting and turning beneath me.
I stopped suddenly and put my mouth to her ear. “Yes, I did.”
Aloy surged up and pulled me into a kiss.