Although she'll never admit it, my big sister Parasoul is very close to me. A little too protective, but then, being the Canopy Kingdom princesses isn't easy. My name is Umbrella and I play a very old video game, SOS. I love the concept, but it's so hard!
***
I am Parasoul. I find this invitation strange. A trip on the Lady Crithania, a cruise ship. I asked the Black Egrets to investigate the man who sent me this invitation, Ismay Carl Townsend. It didn't take them long to send me a report. Townsend is Lady Crithania’s owner and, for her maiden voyage, he wants distinguished guests. My little sister is also invited. As the risk of danger is minimal, I send him a positive reply. Umbrella will be so happy!
***
Ever since Parasoul told me about the Lady Crithania’s invitation, I've been panicking. Lady Crithania. That's the boat name in the SOS game! In the video game, the cruise ship capsizes in a storm and the character we control must save as many passengers as possible... or die drowning. I try to tell Parasoul, but she ignores my fears. I want to show her the video game, but it's gone! How can this be? I can't find it. On my game screen, a message from "Aeon" appears: "Past experience can lead to survival."
***
Umbrella and I are on the Lady Crithania. She's sailing fast. We're in a large room inside the boat. A dining room. My sister is nervous. I don't like this.
"What's going on?" I asked. "Are you seasick?"
"NO! You didn't listen to me! This ship is the same one as the SOS video game!"
"A video game?"
"A storm hits, the boat capsizes, sinks slowly and..."
Suddenly, I hear thunder and lightning. The boat tilts abruptly. She capsizes. I clutch a table with one hand and grab my sister's hand with the other. Umbrella screams. She yells that the events of the game are happening, that she's scared, that we're going to drown.
***
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"We're not going to die!" Retort my big sister. "Give me all the details of the SOS video game."
"Huh? Why?"
"This will come in handy when creating an evacuation plan."
Parasoul is great. She always keeps her cool, no matter what.
"Okay." I said.
I tell her everything I know about the SOS game. The many different plays I've made and my failures.
"I always had Game Over, the death by drowning, trapped inside Lady Crithania."
"I see... how long we have before Lady Crithania sinks completely?"
"One hour!"
"So..." My sister says, pulling me up so I can climb onto the table. "Let's not waste time!"
She climbs in turn. She looks around, seize the situation. I put my hands in hers. "Past experience can lead to survival." I have to believe in that. We've got to get through this! I'd be less afraid if the Black Egrets had come with us.