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caliginovsCvre · 04-04-2018, 06:26 PM

Quote:>Explain to your Mom about how you've been so restless lately and how it's driving your bored. You've also been having trouble keeping your brother from breaking your stuff. (Who's name is now Unsa.)

“I wasn’t asleep, Mother. Just making some cool stuff in my pond.” At this point I wish I’d thought to bring a sample of my molecules to show her, but it ends up not mattering.

“I can see that, Ambot,” she says. “You may think this is the hard part, but it gets easier every time. It’s what comes after that you have to watch out for.”

Her radius of awareness must be huge if she knows about my molecules from all the way over here!

“Wait, how’d you know I have a name now? And Brother has one too, his name is Unsa. But he doesn’t like it, and I think he’s bored or something. We’re both bored, really, but I’m the one trying to actually do something about it! He just keeps destroying my stuff.”

“That’s just his nature. You seek order, and he can’t stand for it. He’s been like that since you were born, but the two of you have never directly opposed each other until now.”

“Where’d he go, anyway? How come you’re not gonna stop him?”

Here, Mother pauses. She looks reluctant to talk about Unsa anymore, at least as much as a giant pillar of fire can look reluctant about anything. The column narrows and wavers for a moment, sending off showers of sparks here and there that betray her agitation. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve had a talk with him already and loosened his bonds to this place. He’ll be back soon enough once he knows what he needs to do.”

“But why’d he leave?” I press further. “We were just talking about how long it’s been since you were here, doesn’t he miss you?”

I don’t want to admit just how much I’ve missed her too. Seeing her now makes me wish I was small again, just a tiny spark against her immense light. Mother always radiated assurance that made everything seem all right, no matter whether we were in the heart of a star or some dark empty corner of the universe. But I’m bigger and can do things for myself now, things that aren’t in her Plan. What if I’ve done something wrong? “And what’s with the fire? Are you mad at me?”

“Not at you, and not at your brother. But certain others are being… disobedient. I might use this form to remind them that they're rather flammable.” The crackling of the flames intensifies briefly to an ominous roar.

“Who are these others?” I start to ask, but she cuts me off before I can think of any other questions.

“Enough! I’ve forgotten how many questions you’re capable of asking. I wish I could spend more time with you, but I shouldn’t interfere any further. Ask me three more questions, just three, and maybe I can give you an answer.”

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