April 20th 2010

Its been a few months now and things are going well. Her vocabulary has increased by leaps and bounds and what started as single words has become two, then three, and now she uses broken sentences. While she hasn't put forth anything complex in her conversation with me she is at the very least able to get across needs and wants and questions.

Merlin keeps reminding me that despite the way this language training is going, that it feels like I am teaching a young child, but she is still a grown adult. As if I can look at this nearly seven foot tall being over twice my weight and forget shes not an adult. But it is easy to forget.. that any childhood she could have had was taken from her in that tube. Her development sped along by science. That she spent 5 years out there in the woods becoming an adult in the way wild pokemon do. But at the same time right now her language and understanding are so childlike. I guess its making up for lost time.
Still he cautions me not to forget what shes capable of. I know all too well what she can do. On the 2st it will have been 6 years since emerged from that tube. In a way, its her birthday tomorrow and I'm uncertain how to break it to her. I did get a small cake on the last supply run a couple days ago. It seems silly, but sometimes it's the little things that can ground you, she needs meaning in this life even if its small… what else does she have? Shes the only one of her kind on this earth. Alone as a species and no idea why shes even here…

Aspen looked up from her journal to the other side of the room. The creation was curled up in the giant bean bag chair. A children's picture book in her hands as she flipped through slowly looking at the illustrations, ABC's on the cover.

Setting down the journal Aspen stood up. "Hungry?"

The creature looked up from her book and nodded "yes… egg and rice?"

"No, I got fish for you today…" Aspen held her hand up as the beings eyes lit up "stay put its going to take a little bit.. I know you love fish… and well today and tomorrow are special days I think"

"Special?" She tilts her head as she starts flipping through the book.

"yes I will explain over food" Aspen rolled her sleeves up and started her work in the kitchen.

Finding what she was looking for the being held up the book towards Aspen the letter F on one page and a cartoon fish on the opposing page. Some bold writing with it under the art.

"Fish!"

"Very good! You got it!" Aspen looked over and smiled. Her heart sinking at the little book as she remembered why she originally got it. She looked away "so… any other words you know yet?"

The creation tilted her head again and flipped through the book frowning.

"Apple!"

"yes good you like those…"

More page flipping "water?"

"Yes you like that too.. what are some other words for water?"

"mmm… River, pond, lake, drink…. Ocean.. sea?"

"which of those do you not drink?"

"Ocean and sea!"

"Very good! Anything else?"

Some more flipping, Aspen now focused on her prep. The silence stretched out making Aspen glance back. The being now sat up in the big squishy chair, her hand on a page frowning.

"M… "

"its OK you can do it.. sound out the symbols like I showed you"

"Moo… Mo… moth… Mother"

Aspen felt a catch in her chest, the knife clattering to the cutting board.

" Did.. I do bad?"

She took a deep breath and looked at the being. She had shrank back into the chair her ears laid back.

"no.. you did great" the food would keep a minute. Aspen stepped over to her and knelt by the chair "why did you pick that word?"

Merlin looked up from his spot near the window listening.

The big cat perked her ears back up. "Because… I.. not certain what is? Are you.. mother?"

That stab again "Are you asking if I'm A mother?"

She turned the book around and showed Aspen the drawing of a woman holding a baby in her arms. Arrayed around her was a Pikachu with a Pichu and a Snorlax with a Munchlax all in similar poses.

Aspen held her fist in front of her mouth trying to figure out where to go with this. "well a mother.. is someone with a child.. typically a female of their species to their baby… but not always.. its also a.. the role of someone who protects and nurtures someone younger"

The creature turned the book back around and looked at it "Are you Mother?"

"I.. was never a mother like in that picture.. a child of my own.. I couldn't… I tried but I couldn't"

"why?"

"its a long story for another time" Aspens voice at the edge of cracking.

"Do I have mother?"

Aspen stared into the distance. How do you answer this? "You.. don't have one like that… you.. might remember.. being in… glass?"

The being stared at her "yes"

"But… if it helps.. in a way.. I am your mother.. not like this.. I know.. you don't look like me"

She put the book down and stared at her odd three fingered hands. "Because you protect?"

"Yes.. partly.. and well… when you get more words I will tell you the rest ok?"

She nodded "was I ever small?"

"you.. you were" Aspen reached out and put her hands on the beings hands cupping them together about a foot apart "you were about this big at one point.. and even smaller.. but this is how big you were as a baby"

The creature continued to look at her hands now set at the right distance clearly picturing what it would be like to hold something like herself that was that small. "in the forest.. I saw.. other beings.. who had small things with them… will I ever have a small thing? A baby?"

Aspen sighed "A baby? No… Probably not… but again.. I will explain why later when you know more words ok? I promise?"

"ok" she nodded her ears going back

"Morgan.. since you are calling her a daughter.. perhaps you should give her a name?"

" A nam e? "

Aspen let out a relieved sigh and silently thanked Merlin for the topic change. "Name.. its a word used to tell someone apart from another… Merlin is his name but he is an Alakazam.. my name is Morgan Aspen.. but I am a human. You have a species name.. Mewtwo…"

"Mewtwo?"

"Correct.. and you have a title of sorts… A G one M two… A generation one Mewtwo.. but that's not a name really.. you don't want that." Aspen glanced back at Merlin thinking "Its typical in genetics to be named alphabetically…" she picks up the book again flipping open to the first page. Apple. A… she looks back to Merlin considering a few moments as she taps the book on her knuckles before she looks up at the creation "I think I'm going to call you Avalon"

"Avalon?"

"Yes… do you like it?"

"I… do.. yes… what.. does it mean?" Avalon peered at her maker taking the book from her to open to the first page.

"Its from a story, the same story I got Merlin from when I named him."

"She liked that story very much when she was a little girl."

Aspen grinned at Merlin "I did yes, so did you, that's why you didn't mind being named after the powerful wizard even when you were still just an Abra. Big Dreams"

The Alakazam huffed and blew out his whiskers and settled into his spot.

Still peering at the page Avalon shook her head "I don't understand"

"Well… in the story the king is wounded.. and to rest he's sent to a magical island full of apple trees said to have healing properties.. and that place is called Avalon. Its a legendary place and you are a legendary being... it.. it will all make sense eventually"

"Apples" she bobbed her head and closed the book setting it aside.

"Magical apples.. and kiddo you don't really know it yet but trust me.. you are magic. One in a million." she smiled at her strange daughter and stood up gently touching her shoulder. "now.. let me finish making that dinner for us ok?"

Avalon nodded mutely as Aspen went back to the kitchen. Staring down at her hands she wondered what mother had meant by all of that. One in a Million.