Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - Clearing Thoughts

[Maia]

After the lecture at the Rainbow room, which managed to ruin Maia's night, or at least lead her to ruin it for herself and distract her enough to not manage an apology to Norman or Harmonic, Maia felt a talk was in order with Epiphany.

She sought her out alone, hoping that now that things in the Congo had calmed down and normalized abit, she could clear the air with her mentally focused sister.

She knocked on the door to the room she'd selected and smiled. "Epiphany, it's Maia, do you have time to talk?"

[LydaLynn]

Thinking in her new language as much as possible as she worked on it, Pip's immediate reply was a fluctuation of quantum energies, followed by, "Oh, sorry, yeah." Hurrying to the door, Epiphany opened it with a smile, "Come on in, just, ignore the mess." The 'mess' in question seemed to be nothing more than a rumpled bed and a scattering of papers with notes scrawled on them on the bed.

[Maia]

"What are you working on so dilligently?"

She smiled. "I felt the little pings, new power?"

While her node wasn't as developed as Alex's, Maia's was much more than many other novas.

"I wanted to talk with you about some things, just you and me."

[LydaLynn]

A bit flustered, Pip gathers her papers and sets them in a stack to the side. "Just a language actually. Something only novas can understand, a manipulation of quantum energies to relay information. I . . . something that can give us secure communications even if my network is compromised. Nothing too interesting, I'm still just playing around with it. There's probably already two or three other people out there doing the same thing, it keeps me busy."

Gesturing to the single chair in the room, "Feel free to sit, I . . . I did something wrong again didn't I. I'm sorry, just . . . yeah, we can talk." Epiphany sighs, her eyes closed for a long moment. "I'm still on edge Maia, I'm sorry. It's been difficult for me lately and I'm jumping at everything. Please, let's talk, and . . . forgive my foot-in-mouth disorder."

[Maia]

"Actually that's pretty awesome Epiphany, and very cool."

"It's okay. I came to talk and to apologize as well."

She sighed. "Something is obviously bothering you, and I'm pretty sure I know what."

"First though, I was very rude at the rainbow room, and was generally a bitch to you and everyone that night. For that I want to apologize."

It was Maia, so of course she was sincere, the girl seemed to almost totally lack the ability to lie.

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany shook her head, "No, you . . . it was me too. I . . . went into rant mode. I'm sorry. I think we were both wound too tight and weren't thinking so well. I can only accept your apology if you can accept mine. I . . . I'm not like the rest of you, I just can't see things the way you do. Maybe it's that I see what people intend with their actions, see the good intentions behind the actions. I just . . . it's been alot lately, with everyone changing and us going out into the world and having to deal with everything. I just . . . I am sorry." Pip started chewing on the corner of her her bottom lip to keep from saying more.

[Maia]

Maia reached out with hands that could peel tank armor as easily as a satsuma orange, and pulled Epiphany to her in a gentle embrace. "It's been hard on all of us Epiphany. Of course it's accepted."

She shook her head. "Now that that's out of the way, and having said what you have, I'd like to get to the other reason I came."

"You can see everything pretty much going on, I imagine sometimes you can almost feel it all as well. Considering what happened when we hit the base, and what I know of you, and what happened there, it bothers you still, just as much as it bothers me." She'd admitted it to Cora and to Serene and Marina, but they'd not seemed as worried.

Now, She knew it was a concern of Pip's. She looked at her without guile. "I wanted to let you know that you aren't alone, You can always talk to me Epiphany, Always."

She smiled. "Even though I know I've told you that a number of times."

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany accepted the hug, no, she melted into it. The warm acceptance helping to quiet some of the demons she'd been dealing with. "I, thank you. I just . . . you have your own burdens, you don't need mine too. I . . . I'm glad I'm not alone. I can't understand how anyone can shrug off what happened, what we did. I . . . I thought for a little bit about just leaving, flying into space until I could go no further, couldn't ever hurt anyone again . . . but, for all that I don't ever want to fight again, I'm not that much of a coward."

Sighing, Pip blinked rapidly to keep from crying. "What's wrong with me, Maia? I mean, besides . . . not everything, but sometimes it feels like it. Why can't I just . . . I don't even know what I want, but I want to stop feeling like I'm doing everything wrong all the time. You're always so poised, you just seem to know what to do and what to say . . . I envy you. Even when you got everyone else frustrated with this latest ability use, all I could think was that you knew what to do, you had the conviction to do it. You took your step forward and didn't twist yourself into knots with indecision. And, honestly, for all the worry it caused, I think you made the right choice. How do you do it? How do you stand against the others and hold your own? I . . ." She sighs, again.

Shaking her head, Epiphany tries to pull herself back under control. A floodgate of swirling thoughts had opened and she had to get them back in place. She had already said too much, already put too much on her sister. The last thing Pip wanted to do was make Maia feel bad, and she knew her questions weren't comfortable, she wished for a moment she had Warren's powers so she could go back and stop herself before have that emo outburst.

[Maia]

"Don't run away from family."

Her revelation that she envied her surprised her, though. The emotional assault roiling over from such close proximity was difficult to contain, and Maia steeled herself, trying her best to help her.

"Can stand so resolute Epiphany, because of you, because of Cora, Marina, butch, darrik, alex, and Warren. I know that you all have my back. Sometimes we disagree, we've even sparred abit too hard before. Still we're family. i don't care that blood doesn't unite us. It doesn't have to. If I didn't have all of you, Or uncle, or Aunt Serenity, I'd be alone or worse. we'd all be worse off without each other. I know that with all of you with me, or by joining my efforts with yours, there is nothing that can't be done. That's where my confidence comes from, all of you."

She smiles. "I don't think you're doing the wrong thing, I think perhaps though your approach is off. you are so sensitive to the feelings of others. Your powers are potentially the most invasive and have the most permanent effect that isn't death. That's something that carries immense responsibilities."

"Responsibilities I have faith in you to meet and and bear with aplomb and grace. I wouldn't want anyone else in this family to have such power. Who knows what we'd do with it? everyone is different."

She nodded. "Fighting felt right to me Epiphany, like what i was meant to do. After Apothesis, nothing could touch me. Those four novas didn't stand the slightest chance against me. After they died, after I destroyed that base, I had to deal once again with the fact that my actions had again taken the lives of other novas. I was happy they were dead."

She shuddered. "That horrified me Epiphany, truly horrified me. Yes, they were the enemy, They had either directly tried to kill me, or were planning to kill us all on the surface but the fact that I killed them with my bare hands is undeniable."

"As much as I don't want to, I will always fight to protect my family, even if it means more blood, mine or my enemy's. I will fight so you don't have to."

she squeezed her shoulder. "Still, if there is anyone on this team I believe could end a battle without blood, it's you. As opposed to running, win without fighting. there's always away, and I know you can find it."

She shook her head, the impossibly beautiful nova fully aware of the effect she had on others. "I envy you too sometimes you know. You can tone it down as it were. I'm always full bore, with no hope of a reprieve."

she stopped. "Ok, mini-rant over."

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany got introspective as her sister spoke, but with the last sentence, she couldn't help but smile. "I know the feeling of a mini-rant. But it was a good one, thank you. I actually . . . I've been thinking about that, about . . . ending the battle without blood. I might . . . I think I have an idea, but I'm not sure yet if I can really make it work. I . . . I think the problem is that everyone is afraid. And everyone's fears make sense, to themselves and, objectively. I can see and feel what others feel and still I can't completely comprehend the fear of a baseline towards us. But I understand the reason for the fear, and the fear gives the mother hunters their power, their base. And for us, how do we not fear, and in fear have hate and anger and lash out because of it."

Shaking her head, "I'm not sure if I read it, or if someone who's memories I have read it, but somewhere someone wrote about fear being a result of ignorance. If I can just figure out a way . . . there has to be a way, to show everyone, to get rid of that ignorance, and maybe with it the fear. I just . . . " Epiphany takes a deep breath. "Don't envy me Maia. Maybe I can tone down what others see, but I can't run away from the people inside my own mind. I . . . " In an almost inaudible whisper, "He scares me, he's so very strong and he won't shut up."

Shaking her head and trying to pretend the moment hadn't happened, "Maybe we can work on that for you, I don't know if you can learn how to tone it down, but it wouldn't hurt to try. I can't do much to help the family, but that, for you, I'd like to help you if I can."

[Maia]

"Talk to Justin then Epiphany, if you want to speak to someone safe, that can provide it for you." She smiled. "He was one, a latent mind you, but still he was a baseline longer than we've been alive. I imagine Uncle could help, as Well as Aunt Serenity."

"If anyone can find a way to eliminate fear and ignorance, it's you. We all have to deal with fear. Just about all of us watched or was nearby when our parents were killed. That's reason enough by baseline mentality to hate anyone. Like it or not we had early childhoods that were baseline thinking influenced. Thus we still largely think that way. Part of what needs to happen I think is for us to transcend that mode of thought."

"That must sound hypocritical from the girl who took her baseline boyfriend and made him a nova, and I admit it is. I love him because he's kept me grounded. With us becoming more active, I took the steps I felt I needed to to keep him safe."

"You may not be able to run from them Epiphany, but you can tune them out. I know you're strong enough. In your Mind, you have all the power, they only have it if you allow them any. If you need help, I'm here, I'll do whatever I can."

"Some help on toning things down would be nice, I think I nearly gave those girls a heartattack after the rescue, if they'd been male, I probably would have."

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany nods thoughtfully as Maia speaks. "Maybe I will talk with him, he seems like a nice guy. He was grounded enough not to care that you were a nova and he wasn't. His would be a good perspective to build on. Thank you."

With a shrug, "It hasn't really been a problem tuning them out before, but I did something different this last time and it's been hard getting to a place where I have that balance again. I'm working on it, I'll get there. But for now, I'm just a bit on edge, fighting a battle in my mind all the time has got me ready to bite people's heads off for little or no reason."

Then she smiles, "But I'd love to help you figure out how to tone things down. I . . . there's two different things that I do, but I not sure how to tell you about it. If all else fails, we can try a mental partnership where you can watch from my side while I activate, but let me try and talk you through them first, it just seems safer."

And as she speaks, Pip relaxes her the muting she keeps up to avoid being overwhelming. "So, if I'm not careful, this is how people see me all the time, and it's annoying. I can understand where you wouldn't want to have people fawning over you all the time either. Then to tone it down I just sort of . . . pull it in. It's like sucking in your stomach when you're feeling fat and bloated. After a while you get used to breathing funny and your stomach stays tucked inside your pants. I just, pull in the force of my personality. I . . . that doesn't really make sense I guess. I think first I have to notice my personality out there, to see the effect it's having on others, and then I kind of, gather up the edges and fold them back inside. Like wearing a silk scarf that blows in the wind, when you notice the wind playing with it, you tuck them inside your jacket . . . that's not really very good either. I . . . I'm rubbish at this arn't I?"

[Maia]

When she let it out, Maia noticed immediately, though it wasn't like it was in the hallway that first time. "Actually, the Scarf analogy seems pretty apt."

She nodded. "I already sorta do that with my physical strength and speed, to keep my clothing intact, though I do a somewhat less than stellar job there."

She smiled, just wanting to make Epiphany happy, though it was only abit more than normal, how she wanted her siblings to be happy. "He didn't care at all, and to his credit he did his level best not to stare, or do anything he thought might anger me. He's always been the perfect gentleman."

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany smiled, "I'm happy for you. It had to be hard, to find someone who would treat you like a person. I'm so glad you did, you deserve someone to love. And I hadn't thought about what you do for strength, it probably works the same, just with . . . awe? The other thing I do is . . . pull normalcy around me, kind of like pulling a blanket over my shoulders. It doesn't quite negate my strange appearance, but people don't seem to notice it as much."

Mr. Nobody

[Maia]

The effect might have been more noticeable, if say there were more people in the room it probably would have worked much better. Maia chuckled. "Well you seem a little less noticeable, but in a room of two people, it might be hard to pull that one off."

"You aren't strange, Epiphany, just different."

"I happen to think you're beautiful as well, even if you might not. I know Warren does."

"Speaking of deserving someone special, how are the two of you?"

[LydaLynn]

"Oh," Blinking and blushing, her emanating heat notched up a couple degrees. "Ah . . . we're . . . okay. I . . ." Epiphany sighs. "Honestly, I don't know. We havn't gotten to spend much time together. Things keep happening and . . . I've almost been avoiding him since the rescue mission. I just . . . I want to know what I'm thinking and that they're my thoughts before . . . " A slightly deeper blush is turning her normally orange completion positively fiery, "I mean, I don't know that there's an after to worry about because I still don't know, but I think, I mean . . . "

Looking up at Maia, "I don't even know Maia. I . . . I like him and I want to see if it can be more but . . . I just . . . I'm so worried all the time and he doesn't deserve that. And I've been . . . I've been miserable to be around, I know I have. And I'm sorry about it, but it doesn't change it. I just . . . I'm confused. Which I know is normal for first love or crush or whatever, but . . . " With a mighty sigh and grunt Pip hurtles a pillow across the room, "Urg! I just want things to be. . . I don't know! I just want to close my eyes and know that everything is good and it's going to be alright and the world is going to be full of happiness and light for everyone. But it isn't going to happen, so instead I muddle and mope and try very hard not to burden anyone with my funks."

[Maia]

"Of Course there will be an "After" Epiphany. If not for that, and for family, what are we fighting for?"

"I don't think you have it in you to be miserable to be around, though I admit you do need to try to see the brighter side of things. Being realistic is great, and needed, but if you don't make time for the things you want in life, and pursue them actively, then you're not really living."

"You worry because you care. The same reason as me. The entire world it seems is arrayed against us. We are gaining allies, but we're having to make far reaching decisions we aren't really ready for. Some of us are more impulsive than others..."

She nodded. "If you want to be with Warren, the be with him. Tell him how you feel, I can almost guarantee he'll reciprocate."

"You can believe it won't be that way, and by doing that you make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Or if I can be a little vain here, you can be like me. I believe it can get better, that the world will be better. Not a perfect utopia, but I don't want that, it would be boring."

"One day I'd like to have a family, and I don't want them to endure what all of you have. I feel very fortunate that I've not had it as rough as all of you. My parents were killed while i watched, but not like all of you. I want a world where my family, all of you, and any progeny we choose to have can live peacably. That's why I fight. There will be darkness on this path we all now walk. We can't let it consume us."

She smiled. "It's not meant as an added burden, but that's a job I see you being apt for, being our group conscience. We all trust you Epiphany, never forget that. Who better than you to keep us from straying to far into the darkness of violence and ignorance and fear that surround the path we walk?"

She took her younger sister's hands in hers and smiled. "No one I can think of. Cora and I are impulsive, Butch and Warren want to fight, I'm impulsive, Darrik has other things to concern himself with, Alex is driven by logic almost alone. Marina would agree with me as well I think that it should be you."

It was an obvious attempt to boost Epiphany's confidence, but from Maia, Epiphany knew she meant every word.

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany's blush deepened a bit at Maia's ready statement there would be an after, then Pip realized Maia didn't understand the more coy innuendo with the statement. Brushing off her embarrassment, she continued to listen to her sister. With a smile, "Just call me Jiminy Cricket, here to keep us all from turning into donkeys." And with an impulsive display of affection, she leaned over to give Maia a hug. "Thank you. You can always make me smile and I've been needing a smile."

[Maia]

Maia's own smile was apparent. She wasn't as ignorant as Epiphany thought, but then again for someone who ended up nude any time she used her full power, Maia was actually fairly shy when it came to more "adult" matters, preferring to let people do as they would in private.

"You're Welcome Epiphany."

"We all need to smile more."

"I don't think I ever saw a picture of my Mother where she wasn't smiling. I certainly don't remember her not smiling when I was there. Infectious cheer isn't a bad thing."

"I can come around again, if you need a booster."

She smiled. "So tell me about this language you're working on?" It was a statement, and a question all wrapped in one.

[LydaLynn]

A sudden excitement lit Epiphany's face, "Oh, it's actually proving to be more complex than I had thought." She snags her notes to show to her sister. "When I first started I was thinking of it like any other language, actually I was thinking of it somewhat like Morse Code. But as I started working with it I noticed that you can fill alot more information into a short burst that I first thought, then I discovered it can be layered. I'm still working on it, but I'm thinking I can get this refined down enough that you could recite all of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in just a couple minutes. Here, listen . . ."

And the burst of quantum energy that Pip sent to Maia was as complex and layered as DNA. "I'm still working on how the different layers give different meanings to what's being said. There has to be a priority system acknowledged as part of the language, kind of like writing, everyone reading and writing English agree that you read left to right, but that's not the way of every language. So I have to make sure I account for establishing that sort of thing before I get too far into verbiage. Otherwise you'll have people all kinds of confused when they get messages backwards or upside down or what have you. I think I'm going to stop it at six layers though. That's already deeply complex when not all novas will even be able to see the modulations in one layer, but I think all of us second gens should be able to at least. As it is, teaching the language to someone who isn't at least of significant intelligence may prove frustrating. I might just develop a package of information that I can 'give' people instead of messing with teaching. Only willing of course, but it would simplify things alot. I think I've almost got enough of the basics to actually start working on real conversations, that's what will help shake out the bugs and get the language really settled and ready. I don't know what to call it yet except 'the language' but I'm not too worried about it. What people call it doesn't matter as long as it proves useful."

[Maia]

"Well when you're ready to teach, sign me up."

She smiled. "It sounds amazing." It was common to forget Maia was actually extremely intelligent. Not to Alex's standards, or to some of the other siblings, but far beyond baseline. "That's going to be a real accomplishment you know. A language only for novas, created by a nova."

"I'll be your guinea pig if you need one Epiphany."

[LydaLynn]

Pip smiled, "Thanks Maia. I'm sure I'm not the first nova think of this or working on it. There's probably others out there doing the same thing. It only makes sense. There might not be as many novas as baselines, but I'm sure there's some super-linguist out there who's come up with three or four variations on nova only languages. And I'd be all for adopting one instead of making my own if we knew of any, but we arn't exactly out talking with everyone. So instead we'll have to muddle through with what I can come up with. It at least gives us something for when we can't use the network. I don't like thinking about how we'd cope without it or another reliable way to communicate. And for all Alex loves technology, I don't think I'm up for a sub-dermal communicator. I'm sure it would work a dream but . . . the thought of having something injected into me that could burn out or get hacked or who knows what else. Not really my cup of tea."

[Maia]

"Agreed."

She chuckled. "Assuming they could find something that can pierce my skin and survive my immune system, that is." Maia was easily the healthiest of the siblings, resistant to physical damage, illness, and most harsh conditions. "How have you liked The Congo?"

It was a shot in the dark. "It's nice being able to walk around publiclly without any sort of real worry isn't it?"

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany looked a bit chagrined at the question, "I haven't actually . . . gone out really. I've been working on the language and on getting my head on straight. And just . . . there's alot to the palace, it's really been interesting just exploring it. I was thinking, maybe of, I don't know, asking Warren if he wanted to go walking, but . . . It seems so . . . old fashioned? I just . . . " she slumps a bit. "I know, lame."

[Maia]

"Not at all."

Maia chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with taking a walk together. I've enjoyed doing that often."

"You should ask him. There is value in the things we take for granted. Just being close to each other, knowing that you're each happy the other is there, that certainly isn't lame."

"If not walking, then go flying together."

[LydaLynn]

Pip nods, "I should. No, not should, if I keep talking like that I'll never do it. I will, I'll ask him. Maybe do some shopping or something." And impulsive hug proves Epiphany's lightened mood. "Thank you Maia. I don't know how you do it, but it seems like you always know how to make things better." Pip didn't notice the extreme swings in her emotions. They were rather out of character, but had been happening alot over the last week. If she had noticed, she might have worried about it. But for now, she was just happy to have some of the melancholy that had been clinging to her brushed away and a brighter mood take it's place.

[Maia]

"If you like we can make it a double date. Though trust me I wouldn't mind if you two went off on your own." Her grin made it clear she meant it both ways.

"I do what I can Epiphany, just like everyone else."

[LydaLynn]

Pip grins, "A double date sounds nice. But . . . maybe not the first time out?" A bit nervous about the subject, Epiphany busies herself shuffling her notes into some kind of order.

[Maia]

"Of course. Justin and I have been dating for months now."

She smiled. "Have you gotten used to your newfound speed yet?" The last training session she really managed to hurt herself, so Maia was deservedly worried there.

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany shook her head, "I havn't really been up to trying it lately. Though I guess here wouldn't be a bad place. Since it's protected and all and I could fly out in the open. I just havn't felt up to doing much. Mostly I've stayed in the rooms struggling either with what happened during the rescue, the language I'm working on, or how I think I might be able to try and do something to make the world better. Of the three, the easiest has been the language so I've kinda focused on it. While I'm processing layers and ways to encode variations on intention the back of my mind can work on the other two problems without the more awake me panicking."

[Maia]

"We certainly don't want you panicked."

Maia nodded. "Well as I've said, you can call on me for anything. Just remember no supersonic speeds down low. Don't want to shatter any of the glass."

"And if you really need help with making the world better, I'll tell you this, You already pull that one off every day Epiphany."

"The world can be this huge vast thing, something most people have no real sense of scope for, even some novas for that matter. Or it can be something smaller, A kind word, a reassuring gesture, sincere sympathy, an honest opinion, the small simple mundane things we do without thinking, without being asked. Though not something like breaking the planet's crust, walking through time, Willing Matter to be as you wish it, or flying around the globe in seconds, These smaller things can have as profound an effect. To someone who is in a place to truly need them, they are everything."

Sincerity radiated from Maia, The affection of an Elder sibling speaking from experience. The difference in age wasn't much, but their lives were wildly different.

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany nodded, "You're right. And at the same time, while it makes the world better in small ways, I want to see it all better. I want to know that the world is going to be a place for all the children, no matter how or to whom they are born." She shrugs, "Lofty goals, I know. But you can't make the changes without first knowing where you want to go."

[Maia]

"Now that's a worthy goal." She smiled. "we all want to make the world better. We just need to come to an agreement on how to do that."

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany nodded, "Yes, I worry though, can we come to an agreement. There seems to be so many different thoughts and points of view and attitudes among us. And if we can't, as close knit a family as we've become, what hope is there for the world?"

[Maia]

"There's always hope Epiphany, Always."

"Besides, It wouldn't be fun if we all agreed all the time."

She shrugged. "I would like to see more cohesion and more productivity though, and with what we can all do, that should be incredibly easy."

"But as my mother told me, Getting novas to agree on a plan of action together while dealing with all the egos involved, is like herding a bunch of onery cats."

In truth, Maia could already see rifts forming in the family, but still she was committed to seeing things through. She wanted everyone to work together towards a common goal, but she knew how daunting a task that would be."

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany nods, "We all just look at things so differently. I think I could change that some, let us all think together, as if we were one. But . . . I don't know how good an idea that is. At what point does something like that devolve into mob mentality and the thoughtlessness that comes with that.?"

[Maia]

"It's not that, so much as if you can join our minds, how do we maintain our own Mental integrity, the borders that separate "Self" and "Others""

She looked at Epiphany and nodded. "More than that, who's to say we should? I'll be honest, I prefer to keep things private. Everyone doesn't need to know everything I know, or do. At the same time I don't want the same from anyone else."

"The Network is supremely useful, but I don't know if I'd like a more intimate connection with everyone in the family." This also made it clear that there were some Maia trusted more than others among the family, and that she could admit as much to Epiphany, meant Epiphany was one of those she'd be willing to try it with.

"Of course I could simply be wrong, and that's not what you mean."

"If it is though, it might be wise to try it with a willing partner first, just to gauge the effect before you bring it to everyone else."

"I admit I'm nervous, but I trust you Epiphany, and would volunteer for that as well, if it is something you decide to do."

She shook her head. "That's part of this that takes getting used to. Figuring out just what we're capable of now."

[LydaLynn]

Pip nods, "I tried something similar with Warren, but I think I've figured out a different way since then. When we tried, it was . . . we could look at bits of each other but we were careful not to go where we weren't wanted. I only carry the parts of him that I directly interacted with, not everything. If I'm right, with this technique we would be one . . . though I'm not sure on the 'self' and 'others' bit, but I don't think we'd retain much of what was part of someone else after the . . . melding sounds like a horribly cheesy name, but I'm using it for now. I think that unless we focused on looking into each other that anything we did happen to pick up on would fade fairly quickly once we were in our own heads again."

Sighing, "Honestly, there's something I've been thinking about trying, but I don't think I can do it alone. I think, maybe it's something that can make the world better, at least I hope it could, but I don't have the knowledge, skills and powers to do it by myself. But at the same time, the idea of what I'm contemplating, let alone the link, is scary. I'm not sure we should have that kind of power. And if I were a mother hunter and knew that someone was contemplating what I'm contemplating, I'd stop at nothing to keep it from happening." Epiphany shudders just a bit.

"Sometimes it helps to know how they think. But most of the time it just scares me silly."

[Maia]

"Don't be affraid of your power Epiphany. I'm not."

"If you want to tell me, I'll listen, I'm definitely intrigued. What is that you can do, that gives you more pause than normal?"

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment. "I . . . Right now it doesn't matter. I can't do it by myself, I would need everyone's help to make it work. And I don't know that I want the thought out there before I can talk to everyone. Not that I don't trust you, because I very much do. But if anyone got a hint . . . I don't want anyone else in danger until I can discuss it with the whole family. I think there's going to be a meeting coming up and that would be the perfect time to talk about it. Because . . . what I'm thinking about . . . I think it will change the world. Very literally."