Epilogue: The Snow Thaws
After the long Ice Age ends, the world finally thaws.
Humans again continue to weave humanity. With the assistance of robots, the few humans who evacuated to the shelters and survived over a long period of time built little villages, developed lands, and slowly moved towards the path of recovery.
And as recovery passes, 鈥榬escue squads鈥?are dispatched everywhere to investigate. These rescue squads managed to gain much, and they saved many survivors in isolated villagers or deep underground. In one instance, they managed to save more than a thousand in a shelter, and in another, they found many corpses within.
The discovery of our Cradles happened a long time after the rescue squads were dispatched.
鈥淲e found survivors!鈥?
Upon hearing this, the rescue squad members doubted their ears.
鈥淲here鈥??鈥?
They run as the leader called out. 鈥淥ver here!鈥?the young member shouted, and the door of what appeared to be a control station opened.
There were dozens of long-term cryo installations鈥攃ommonly known as 鈥楥radles鈥?lined up there. Each of them was glowing weakly.
鈥淭his is unbelievable鈥︹€?
The leader looked inside the Cradle, sounding startled. These Cradles were connected everywhere through dozens of cables, and appeared to be eggs in a warm nest.
鈥淩obots?鈥?
The leader kept looking at the Cradles intently.
鈥淟ooks like it. Most likely the robots used to manage the evacuation.鈥?
鈥淗ow鈥檚 their condition?鈥?
鈥淓xtremely good. Very likely that they can be repaired.鈥?
鈥淕ood, move them back to base first. We鈥檒l ask them about the details.鈥?
On the leader鈥檚 command, dozens of Cradles were carefully moved out by the members.
鈥淭he underground evacuation facility here should have ceased to operate already.鈥?
The leader muttered in shock as he watched these Cradles.
鈥淟eader!鈥?
鈥淲hat now?鈥?
鈥淲hat do we do with these?鈥?
鈥淗mm鈥?鈥?
And then, the leader finally sensed the two robots lying inside the room.
One of them was a girl with blue hair, and the other was a blond man.
Strangely, there was a cable extending from the man鈥檚 chest, and a battery attached to the girl鈥檚 chest.
鈥淗e definitely tried to save the girl.鈥?
The young member noted sadly,
The leader wiped away the ice on his mustache and muttered, 鈥淢ost likely.鈥?These two embracing each other tightly appeared to be intimate lovers.
At this moment, the leader recalled his dead wife when the end came. He kept embracing her until the very end to save his wife from being frozen. However, his wife died, and only he lived. He joined the rescue team that faced such perils, all for the sake of making up for being unable to save his wife.
鈥淲hat do we do? They look really damaged here.鈥?
The young man asked.
鈥淵eah鈥︹€?
Then, the leader noticed a little medal hanging on the robot鈥檚 neck. 鈥?08th Grand Prix Winner Amaryllis Alstroemeria and Eisbahn Tricrytis鈥?鈥?
On a closer look, the two robots were thoroughly damaged due to frostbite. There鈥檚 a low chance of fixing them, but their peaceful sleeping faces made them seem alive.
After hanging the icy cold medal to the girl, the leader said,
鈥淭ake them away.鈥?
I have a dream.
Inside this dream, there鈥檚 me, Eisbahn, Viscaria, G?tz, Daisy, Gappy, Chief鈥攁ll the villagers are gathered together.
In this dream, the Prayer Festival鈥檚 at its loudest, and everyone鈥檚 singing and preparing. Shipping materials, delivering them, discussing the performances on the stage. It鈥檚 just a normal day, yet I love it so hopelessly. Thinking about how such days won鈥檛 return again, I keep singing as I cry. It鈥檚 a strange dream. And then鈥?
鈥溾€攍lis.鈥?
Someone鈥檚 calling my name.
鈥淢iss Amaryllis, do you hear me?鈥?
鈥擶ho鈥s it鈥?
I open my eyes, and sense light. It鈥檚 a dazzling light; it鈥檚 a warm light.
鈥淎h.鈥?
There鈥檚 a woman dressed in pink nurse uniform. Short hair, large eyes, a young looking nurse.
鈥淧lease wait a moment鈥octor! Doctor!鈥?
The nurse immediately scampers out to the corridor, and loudly calls for someone.
A minute passes, and the nurse manages to bring the doctor in.
The doctor鈥檚 a woman. She鈥檚 in a white robe, her long red hair tied behind her.
鈥淥h my, you鈥檙e finally away, sleeping beauty?鈥?
Upon hearing the doctor鈥檚 voice, I look at her in shock. This voice is familiar.
鈥淥hh, you finally noticed? How sharp.鈥?The doctor smiles, 鈥淲hen I was reborn, they modified my face slightly, but at least they managed to preserve the hair color and voice base.鈥?
鈥淚s that you鈥is, caria鈥?鈥?
鈥淵es it is.鈥?
That doctor鈥擵iscaria extends her feelers from her fingertips.
鈥淎hh鈥hhh鈥︹€?
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a while, Amaryllis.鈥?
I stare at her in shock. Viscaria briefs me on what happened back then. After being found, fifteen years passed, and the Ice Age approached the end. Our masters awoke in the evacuation shelters, and the world鈥檚 slowly moving towards recovery.
鈥淗ere, have a look.鈥?
Viscaria hands me a mirror.
鈥淎h.鈥?
I see a girl with long blue hair reflected in the mirror. The skin鈥檚 abnormally white, and those the eyes have gone from blue to dark blue, there鈥檚 no doubt that it鈥檚 me.鈥?
鈥淎h, ahh.鈥?
I stare at the mirror in shock.
And then, there鈥檚 something shining on the chest. 鈥?08th Grand Prix Winner Amaryllis Alstroemeria and Eisbahn Tricrytis鈥?
That flower medal.
鈥擡isbahn.
With trembling hands, I raise the medal.
鈥淚 duplicated it with a crystal to avoid it from melting. It鈥檚 the same inside.鈥?
鈥淓isbahn鈥︹€?
I ask, and Viscaria shakes her face with an anguished look.
鈥淚 see鈥︹€?
If there鈥檚 only one life, I鈥檒l give it all to you. I shall take away all your love. This shall be a one for one鈥攈alving.
I grab the medal firmly, and mutter, 鈥淔arewell鈥y Eisbahn.鈥?
At this moment.鈥?
鈥淗ey, stop pushing!鈥?鈥淚 heard Amaryllis has woken up!?鈥?鈥淚 wanna meet her鈥斺€?
The hospital door opens, and a crowd swarm in like an avalanche. There鈥檚 probably more than thirty, and I can hear more footsteps on the corridor.
There are some I have never met before. Some are adults, and some are children.
But I can tell on one glance. Their expressions, vibe, familiarity.
鈥淗ey hey, this is a hospital. Settle down now.鈥?
Viscaria shrugs,
鈥淓very, one鈥?鈥?
鈥淎maryllis!鈥?
The children swarm in. The first to leap over is a girl with chestnut hair.
鈥淎maryllis, Amaryllis, waahhhh!鈥?
鈥淒aisy!?鈥?
She rubs her face on my chest as she sobs. The other children too shove each other as they approach me, gathering around my bed.
Looking closely, there鈥檚 a little medal on Daisy鈥檚 chest too. It鈥檚 the flower medal Gappy gave her.
After this little ruckus.
鈥淓veryone, this is a hospital after all, so quiet down!鈥?The nurse from before reminds everyone.
鈥淲hat do you mean, after all?鈥?
Viscaria pouts,
鈥淭he main facility is a research center, and this hospital is just an additional one, so 鈥榓fter all鈥?鈥?
鈥淕oodness, fifteen years old and you鈥檙e so cocky鈥︹€?
Right when I focus on their argument, 鈥淗ey!鈥?Daisy lifts her face from my chest.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a kid I want to introduce!鈥?
鈥溾€h?鈥?
鈥淗ere, introduce yourself.鈥?
With Daisy prompting, the nurse from before arrives before me, giving me a solemn bow.
鈥淣ice to meet you.鈥?
鈥擡h?
For some reason, nostalgia awakes within me.
鈥溾€id I meet you somewhere before?鈥?
鈥淏ack then, I was still a baby, so you may not know me. I was sleeping inside the 鈥楥radle鈥?though鈥?
鈥擜h鈥?
I have a flashback. The Cradle Daisy carried, and the name on the plate, I remember is鈥?
鈥淲ait, you鈥檙e that鈥?鈥?
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to meet you. I鈥檓 Gabriella White.鈥?
The girl looks a little nervous as she lowers her head.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e grown.鈥?
I reach my hand out and pat the girl鈥檚 head gently. The girl looks at me in shock, and shrinks back, seemingly scared of itchiness. Her face is beetroot.鈥?
鈥淢ost of the staff in this hospital are the children in the Cradle back then.鈥?
Daisy whispers to my ear,
鈥淚 see.鈥?
There are a few young boys and girls smiling at me. I nod and smile back. They all cheer out loud.
The sunlight seep through the window, lighting the room. The wind ruffles the curtains, and outside the curtains, there鈥檚 a lush grassy field of the hospital with many people, and robots. I see a nursing robot push an elderly around on a wheelchair, strolling around, and next to him, a child robot鈥檚 sleeping soundly on the knees of the human mother. The servant robot holding tea cups are serving drinks. A man dressed in work uniform calls out to a hobbling robot, and fixes him immediately. Humans and robots continue to maintain their personalities, and help each other.
Under the dazzling sunlight, children are playing around on the grassy field. Humans and robots are playing around amicably. One catches the ball, and throws it back. It鈥檚 such a simple game, but the children are enjoying themselves.鈥?
鈥擲ince both of you want this ball鈥?
Looking up at the ball dancing in the sky, I recall the voice and smile of the Principal.
鈥擨 shall 鈥榟alf it鈥?
Again, I clutch at the medal on my chest. Under the sunlight, the petal in the medal is dyed gold, and as the angle of the light changes, the flower appears to be blooming for an instance.
After sending off the long winter, the world shall welcome Spring again.