Planetes
2. h. Lectisternium

「Neptune, open your eyes. Neptune...」.

Whose voice is that? Feels familiar.

「Neptune!」

The planet snapped and opened its eyes. Sitting while rubbing his eyes. Elliot then looked around him. The earthy sea discharge is acted out by the sound of sea gulls passing by.

"What's up, Poseidon? You woke me up all of a sudden...."

The evaporation escaped from the ridge. While his net was staring straight at the figure before him. An illusion? No, that figure is transparent. But that figure is not a ghost.

A kind of ectoplasm commonly used to contact him. Elliot was right the reason Poseidon came to him like this. Oh yeah, he came to the sea to do a delayed Lectisternium, huh? I don't know when he fell asleep.

Poseidon looked at Elliot with a displeased expression. It's like Elliot trifling their annual ritual here. Memory transfer. That they must do so that the embodiment of Neptune does not lose its humanity. Slowly, the Poseidon form becomes real and is no longer transparent. It can be touched like a human in general.

「You haven't forgotten your purpose of coming here, right?」

The long-haired figure stared deeply at Elliot.

"Where may I forget, Poseidon. That's why I'm here, right?"

Elliot's memory drifted to decades earlier. When Poseidon transfers his memories for the first time to Elliot.

Elliot and Poseidon were one person. But due to bitter events in the past, Elliot divides himself into two people. Come to think of it, it felt like he was just running away from the sin he should have been redeemed.

「Then, I will do a memory transfer again. Many things you've missed, you know.」

Well, it feels like he was scolded eh brother, huh?

"I understand. Sorry, Poseidon."

As before Poseidon would put his hand on Elliot's face and a dazzling blue light appeared. This time Elliot not only sees his own memories, but also Poseidon's memories.

In the vision, a beautiful girl was cursed by a woman to become a snake-haired and make anyone who looked into her eyes turn to stone. However, the cause of the beautiful girl being cursed was because Poseidon teased her in a temple.

Not yet had Elliot understood all of those events, the scene before him changed. This time it was in the middle of the sea.

Again a beautiful female figure was present there, but it seemed different from the previous one. The woman was rejected by Poseidon. The woman then uttered a curse sentence.

Elliot could not hear it clearly because he was thrown again into the conscious. Poseidon looked at him with furrowed brows.

「Looks like you want to say something, Neptune?」

"Yes," Elliot let out a small sigh before looking straight at that part of him. "Who are those women, Poseidon? As I try to make amends, you add to the length of my karmic list?"

Poseidon threw his face the other way. Unwilling to discuss the matter in the current Lectisternium. Elliot was impatient and continued to pursue him.

"POSEIDON, ANSWER ME!"

「THEY ARE MEDUSA AND CIRCE! SATISFIED, YOU?!」

Poseidon answered with a glance. Out of control. Looks like Elliot won't let go if he just keeps quiet and doesn't answer Elliot's questions.

"Why? Medusa is innocent, but because of you, she's cursed."

Elliot could not imagine how suffering Medusa would endure such a curse. Suppose she had met Medusa, what would that woman have done to her?

However, Elliot could see the regret bias in Poseidon's face. He could understand if Poseidon thought of the woman.

"Then how is he now?" elliot is worried about Medusa.

「He's dead, Neptune. Perseus has decapitated his head.」Poseidon answered regretfully.

"Ap—"

「That was Athens! He sent Perseus and made him behead Medusa! But, Medusa herself has spread terror, then what should I do?!」

Poseidon's life as a God seemed ominous. Elliot knew that because he had been in the same position. At least before he lost his past memories like now.

"I understand how you feel, Posei."

「YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, NEPTUNE. HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND HUMAN FEELINGS?!」

"I UNDERSTAND!"

Repulsed by Elliot, Poseidon fell silent. Elliot seems carried away by his current feelings so that he has the energy to scold back at his other self.

"As I lost my identity as a celestial being, I learned a lot about humans." There was a pause before Neptune's embodiment continued the conversation. "With regard to human feelings, hate or love I also understand, Posei. Don't expect me to be an immortal being, then I'm not human."

Regretful, that's what Elliot had been thinking. Suppose he can hold back, maybe there will not be many casualties. But his arrogance at that time was more royal, so that even innocent people were affected by the consequences.

「Then, have you found a way to make up for all that?」

Elliot shook his head. Poseidon was about to rebuke his original body, but was immediately cut by Elliot.

"Nothing yet, but I can certainly find a way."

Poseidon sighed and ruffled his front hair. It seems frustrated.

「Do as you please, Neptune. I want to know how you persuaded Circe.」

Elliot's awkward laughter broke up. How is he supposed to calm the sea witch down, huh? To be honest he had never known how to calm a girl's anger.

But that doesn't mean he'll just give up, does it? Elliot will try, with everything he can do for sure.

"By the way, Posei.. Do we eat and drink first? Today is a special day, right?"

Poseidon grumbled softly. But Elliot knew, it was a sign that this other self was willing to accept his offer.

Soon Elliot laid a pedestal on the shore and placed a crown of oak leaves, the best wheat bread, a variety of foods, and not to forget the best wine. For him who can only meet Poseidon today, he thinks he must provide everything with something special.

「You wasted your money to please me, Neptune?」poseidon's brows furrowed and could not resist his curiosity.

"Not so, I just want to make this day special for both of us, Posei. After all you are me, and I am you, right?"

「Just your luck.」

Poseidon will not win to argue with Elliot at this time, so he just obeyed what Elliot said and enjoyed all the dishes. They both spend Lectisternium with fun, without knowing after this curse after curse will come to Elliot because of his overly compassionate nature.

Even Poseidon had no idea that Elliot would face difficult choices they never imagined.

—Connected