we do not bear children until we have so chosen

[dark_light]

Amariah appears in the Belltower, throws herself into a chair, and tries to read postcards, but her eyes won't focus on them. She tries the Bellbook, and scarcely has better luck, although her eyes do catch on a certain word.

"Jane."

"Yep?"

"I want to talk to Aether."

"I'll let her know!"

Comments

[dark_light]

"Yeah. I'm calmed down now, but I'm not even old enough to have a thirteen-year-old you, right, and we'd never talked about it."

[fortissima]

"...I'd like to meet her," says Damaris. "Another us. - We never even named our template, did we?"

[mindfields]

"I can donate 'Dominique', since I'm not using it," Yseult offers wryly.

[dark_light]

"Dominiques it is. Do you think that's the best next action, is inviting her to meet you guys?"

[mindfields]

"I don't know," says Yseult. "But I'd like to meet her, too. And I don't think it would be a bad thing to do."

[dark_light]

"I could get out of the way and Jane could invite her here? Or not get out of the way, I guess, I'm going by your expertise on yourselves here."

[mindfields]

"I have no idea what I would or wouldn't want if I was seeing Maman for the first time at thirteen," Yseult says apologetically. "Besides that - I'd want to get along with her, I think."

[fortissima]

"But if all you know is that you want to get along with someone, it can be hard to do," says Damaris.

[dark_light]

"Yep."

[fortissima]

Damaris's wings droop.

[dark_light]

"This is still sounding like the best plan we have going?"

[mindfields]

"It seems to be the only plan we have going," says Yseult, "and not a bad one."

[dark_light]

"...Okay. Jane, if you wouldn't mind?"

[mind_game]

[On it.]

[Hullo, Helen, I am Jane!]

[telesonorous]

[Hello, Jane,] says Helen, tentatively.

[mind_game]

[Your alts are in the Belltower and want to talk to you. Amariah's there too but she'll leave if you'd rather.]

[telesonorous]

[I wouldn't rather that. I don't know if - well. How do I get to the Belltower?]

[mind_game]

[I can take you there, just go to the basement of Amariah's house.]

[telesonorous]

She tries to do that.

She cannot do that.

She goes where Kas is instead.

[truthwright]

"Hey, button," Kas says quietly from the living room floor.

[telesonorous]

"Hey. How do I get into the basement?"

[truthwright]

"Oh." He flutters a hand. "There ya go."

[telesonorous]

Helen hugs him.

She tries teleporting into the basement again.

It works this time.

[mind_game]

"Hi!" say Jane's speakers. "Ready? D'you want to bring your daemon?"

[telesonorous]

"I wasn't planning to. Will something terrible happen if I don't?"