45 (DSV Nautica) Storms brewing...
"Flare! Flare!" Lyn began calling excitedly. She ran toward the excavation, her heart pounding in her chest with joy.
"Lyn? Whoa, calm do-"
"They are here!" Lyn began to laugh, full of joy. There was a roar overhead, as a figure on a large elongated, oval shaped board soared overhead. The rest of the survival team began to cheer, forgetting completely about the brewing storm, and any attention it might attract. Flare smiled, but also felt a twinge of regret for leaving this place.
"Pack up everyone....we are going home."
Aki stood up, sighing heavily and proceeding to the door. She was done in here. Her mind was at as much ease as it could be. The hall was completely empty, and silent. Not much of a change from when she had entered. She walked down the way she had come from. Maybe there was a way out.
She reached a small stairwell that they had come up on the way out of the scroll room. It looked like they were just a couple steps above the bottom, which held the scroll. Up probably led out of here.
She put one foot on the stairs, but stopped. Was the scroll still there? She glanced around, not seeing anyone.
As quietly as she could, she took a peek inside the scroll room. It was right where she had left it. And no one was in the room. She swallowed nervously, approaching the podium again. Her hands caressed the smooth casing as one might touch a precious artifact or antique. So smooth...
picking it up again, she marveled at how light it was. She pulled it up to her ear, listening for any sounds that might be resonating from within. Nothing. The cool case was as ordinary as one could get. Her feelings earlier were just Psychological. Wow.
She held the scroll out in front of her, preparing herself.
Please don't repeat history and let them know...
She pulled it open. A rush of will leapt from the scroll, but she reacted quickly, mostly out of fear. The power stopped expanding, and became confined to the room she was in, inside her own bubble. The room shimmered as well, but the shimmer seemed to have a boundary just before the walls and doors. Her eyes fell upon the scroll itself. The glyphs that were inscribed still radiated light. The surface they were inscribed on, seemed to be made of a "solid shadow" if that made any sense. She only got a few seconds look before the world turned white, the scroll seemed to warp toward a common center before her. She was flying through space fast. There were no points of reference, but she could tell she was flying fast.
She landed on her feet this time, stumbling and falling to her knee.
"That was easier..."
"back already?"
She looked up to see her mother relaxing on some kind of lounge chair.
"Yeah...we had unfinished business."
"Oh?" her mother turned, and sat up.
"Yes. Why me?"
"Ah. Yes, of course. Well, you see Aki...you are special."
Every ounce of her wanted to snap a smart ass remark, but her self control got the better of her.
"And?"
"Its too much for you to handle right now. Perhaps another time."
"You said next time!" Aki stepped forward, getting angry.
"I know I did, and I apologize. But you needed to hear some reassurance. Something that would ensure you would get the answers you seek, and believe me. You shall." Her mother leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.
"So...Ill be told when I am ready?"
"Yes. And before you ask...you will be ready when you have come to terms with the universe, its workings, and the individuals within it."
"Something tells me that will take a long time."
"Oh yes...quite. But you shall. The scrolls...heh...know it!" She raised her eyebrows, chuckling at her own remark.
Aki cracked a half smile.
"How can I know you aren't lying again?"
"I apologize for last time, I really do. But sometimes to choose the best path, things must be done to guide them. You were already confused with much information. The burden of your gift would be even greater. You cannot know that I am lying to you, I admit that. But I assure you. I will not lie again."
She stood and strode the distance between them, embracing Aki. She was startled by the sudden movement, but returned the embrace. She didn't know why, but her mother seemed very sincere and sorry. Though that didn't mean much, Aki believed her.
"There is some knowledge you are not ready for yet, Aki. When it is time, you will be told."
"I understand."
Her mother smiled.
"Now...what can I do for you today?"
Aki went to sit down, but bumped into something. Turning, her eyes fell on a large, silky armchair that had appeared behind her.
"Odd. That wasn't there before."
She turned back to her mother, who to her shock, was already sitting across from her in an identical armchair. She laughed heartily. It brought a smile to Aki's face.
"This is an event happening in your mind, Aki. We can be wherever you like, with whatever you like."
Aki chuckled. "I figured it was in my mind....it appeared I wasn't gone long when I returned."
"Indeed. We could spend hours in her talking, but mere seconds will pass back in 'reality', not to suggest this isn't real, of course."
"I see. Well, getting back to the point. I wanted to know...who are you? And why did the scroll choose you to look and be exactly like my mother?"
"Ah. A good question. Well, the scroll has an imprint of your mothers emotions, memories, personality, everything. I am a construct built using that knowledge to resemble your mother in the best way possible. I am a copy of her in every way right down to her laugh."
"I noticed." Aki gave a half-smile.
"Of course! The scroll did this because it needed someone familiar to you, comforting. But not someone in existence. If it had done that, for example, taken on the form of Zhi, your current lover-"
Aki blushed deep red.
"-you might have some...different feelings toward him in reality. Things could get very confusing between you too. Its not a given, by far, but the scroll also wants you to be taught by someone you could see as a motherly figure, which will greatly improve the ability of you to learn. Who better than your mother?"
Aki shrugged.
"Mhm. It must be hard seeing a copy of someone you have lost, speaking and acting like her. But you have been doing very well. You can remember her and make the distinction between us. I am merely a ghost, a puppet of the scroll. Your mother has passed the gates of mortality into the realm of death, and you know the difference."
Aki bit her lip. "Is...there an afterlife?"
"Now that is a question I cannot answer for you at this time as well. Not sure if I will ever be able to tell you either."
"Figures..." Aki sighed and met her mothers eyes again. "Are there any other scrolls?"
"Yep!"
Silence. Her mother was enjoying this.
"...Where are they?What galaxy? Solar system?"
"Well...one for now. AE-253, Star 34523b-ac. Its in that neighborhood."
Aki suddenly had a flash of realization; the scroll was in space at some precise coordinates she now had. Damn, that was precise! Her jaw dropped. Her mother smiled.
"You see? The scrolls have granted you the location of another."
Aki really was impressed.
"However....this leads to another issue. You must meditate on the knowledge to retain it. Right after you read the scroll you must spend some time on it. You will know how much. Whatever feels right to you is right. If you don't, the knowledge will be lost. You can't pass it on to anyone else either. It will be too jumbled."
Aki nodded. "I understand that completely."
"It may not be time efficient, but this is to teach control and patience. No rushing knowledge along. Its not going anywhere."
The male held the female close, inhaling her scent. Her soft. Long hair...every part of her was very attractive..
She pushed him back and shook her head. "Don't you have a ship to launch?" She smiled coyly, licking her lips. "But I'm not going anywhere..."
He grinned and stepped out of the room. He couldn't wait to get back to her.