Lilac follows Neera to a compact library, the lack of weight of her new boots feeling odd on her feet, and the way her new top and capris stretch and tug at her fur proves mildly irritating. However, the dragoness puts up with the unusual sensations, figuring she'll get used to them soon enough. "So, are you going to tell me anything, or keep me in suspense?"
"After you and your friends defeated Lord Brevon, I thought it only right to do some research," Neera explains. "After all, how can two common thieves and a feral child take on and defeat the greatest threat this planet has ever seen? I had to know; it would be dereliction of duty if I didn't find out. While investigating, I dug up some very interesting results. Seems your lineage goes back quite a long way indeed."
"To the first dragons to arrive on Avalice," Lilac confirms. "I knew that already. Obvious when you think about it; my DNA has to come from somewhere."
"You misunderstand," Neera corrects. "I don't simply mean you're a dragon, they're dragons, ergo you're distantly related. I mean your direct familial line extends back to that time, and before, in fact. Your maternal line, to be specific."
"My family name is matriarchal?"
"Correct. However, there's not much I've been able to find about all of them, as records weren't always as detailed as they are today."
"What have you found?"
"The most relevant to you right now is information on your grandmother, Zynnia Lilac," Neera answers.
Lilac stops in shock. "She's my grandmother‽"
Neera halts a moment later. "Did you not know?"
"I didn't even know my mother; she died before I hatched!" Lilac begins, resuming walking. "Also, my father disappeared before I was old enough to learn about my ancestors, and the few memories of him I have are fuzzy. All I knew for certain before today was the legends, and we both know how accurate they are."
"My apologies," Neera replies, falling into step alongside again. "I didn't realise you knew so little of your own ancestry."
"It's OK," Lilac assures. "I'd never really thought about it until I heard Zynnia's name in the Arctic Wastes. Not even finding Pangu and listening to the speech the dragon scientist had recorded in her was enough to make me want to research my ancestry. It was great that it confirmed that I really am a… um…"
"What's the matter?"
"Hm? Oh, it's just…" Lilac sighs. "I've fought Merga twice now and lost badly both times. And both times, she's started by calling me 'impure' and a 'false dragon'. And, well… she's right. Look at all this kit I have: armoured clothing, weaponised boots, chargers that power my special abilities… She has none of that, and she's still more powerful than me. I'm a walking demonstration of wannabe‑draconic fakery."
"You focus too much on what you have, and too little on who you are," Neera informs. "Merga wears armour, so it's not like she's unassisted."
"Yeah, but that's just armour," Lilac argues. "I've got batteries welded to my head, and now knives on my feet and knuckledusters in my gloves."
"And I have a big stick with a shiny rock in it," Neera replies. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm a priestess, a royal advisor, and a master of the elemental arts."
"OK, OK, I get it," Lilac accepts. "It's not what you have, it's how you use it."
"Close enough," Neera agrees.
"Sorry," Lilac apologises. "I know I'm just being difficult."
"Understandable," Neera accepts. "You've had a trying few days, and you're learning a lot of new things. Not to mention getting used to a new outfit."
"Twenty minutes in a dojo, I'll be used to the new clothes," Lilac assures. "It's the new self‑image I'm struggling with."
"Then I think it's time you read about your grandmother," Neera decides. "In here," she adds, leading Lilac into the library itself, where a book is waiting on the small table.
"What will I find?"
"Questions, but also answers."
"Cryptic."
"Deliberately. Want a drink?"
"Oolong please, if you have it."
"I'll bring it to you."
Lilac waits until Neera has left the room before taking a closer look at her new outfit. I'm still not convinced it's me. But it is her, and that worries me. What was Neera‑ Oh, wait, she doesn't know… Carol would know what to say.
Lilac turns her attention to the book on the table. "'Shuǐmù Shìzú'…" What does that have to do with‑ "Zynnia… Huh." Does that mean… Shuǐmù Shìzú is my clan? My family‽ Curiosity takes over, and Lilac sits down to read.
Midnight aboard the Sigwada, and the ship is silent aside from the small army of robots watching over the ship's systems. However, not all the organic crew are asleep.
Taking care to be as silent as possible, Carol sneaks out of her quarters, across the bridge, and down into the ship proper. Avoiding robots as much as she can, the younger wildcat works her way to the rear of the ship, to the main computer banks, and enters the room to find the greasemonkey sleeping in a hammock hastily rigged next to the main console.
Why is he sleeping in here? Carol silently makes her way to an auxiliary console and activates it to find it's already logged into. Score! The wildcat wastes no time rooting around the files, looking for any clues about the secrets Corazon is keeping from her. However, she first comes across a folder called 'Shuǐmù Shìzú', inside which is a folder called 'Zynnia Lilac'. Where did she get this from‽
Curiosity gets the better of her: Carol opens the folder and starts rooting around, and it doesn't take her long to find some very interesting information. So, Zynnia is Lilac's relative, grandmother no less… and she's almost as bad as Lilac when it comes to being Little Miss Heropants. Must run in the family. Why did she never tell me about her ancestors? The few times she talked about it, it was the same old crap as in the legends, just without the cheesy fluff that idiot Zao believes about Great Dragons soaring through the skies. But this, this is far more interesting.
Carol becomes so engrossed in her reading she almost doesn't notice the greasemonkey waking up and sliding out of his hammock. At the last moment, Carol closes everything she opened, locks the console, and scurries into the shadows to hide.
The greasemonkey approaches the console Carol was using as the wildcat watches from her concealment. It's clear the greasemonkey is suspicious: he's carefully analysing the workstation for any signs of recent use. His search turns up a result: a few short strands of green fur. For a moment, it looks like the greasemonkey is going to continue his search, but luckily for Carol, he simply shrugs, brushes the fur away, and returns to his hammock.
Carol breathes a silent sigh of relief. He must have thought that was Corazon's. The question is, with the weather getting cooler, why am I moulting? Unless I'm finally shedding my summer coat, and about time too. But I'll worry about that later. I should look for more secrets‑ No, don't push your luck. Just get back to your quarters and wait for the right moment to act.
Carol swiftly sneaks out of the room, and ten minutes later, she's back in her quarters, lying in bed, thinking about what she read. There was mention of Merga and Cordelia in there… Wonder why there wasn't more about information them? Almost like…
On Neera's ship, after an hour, Lilac finishes reading the book. "That's… I don't know what to say…"
"You don't need to say anything," Neera assures. "What matters is that you now know a little more about who you really are."
"But it still doesn't explain whether I'm really a dragon or not," Lilac counters.
"Your direct maternal lineage extends all the way back to the dragons that landed on Avalice a millennium ago," Neera reminds. "Do you need any more proof than that?"
"All that proves is I have some dragon DNA in me," Lilac concludes. "That's obvious just by looking at me. It doesn't prove I'm a true dragon."
"Sergeant Askal is part‑dragon too, and looks it," Neera reminds. "But he doesn't have the abilities that go with the DNA. You do."
Lilac taps her chargers. "Thanks to these."
"You're still focussing on the wrong things," Neera advises. "Besides, how are your chargers different to my staff?"
"Your staff doesn't run out of charge," Lilac answers. "I need to replace the crystals in my chargers at least once every few weeks, except when I'm saving the world, in which case, it's every few days. Though I've been burning through them much faster recently: I got through several pairs yesterday alone."
"When was the last time you had them serviced?"
"I… I've never had them serviced."
"Then how do you know they're still working properly?"
"I… I don't."
"Then you should have them serviced," Neera instructs.
"I don't know anyone who would be up to the job."
"I do."
"Who?"
Deep in the heart of Jade Creek, inside the lakeside house Danny Brock and Sally Flynn share with Maria Shanmao, the phone rings, waking the hedgehog from her slumber. "Dan, phone's ringing," she murmurs.
Danny mumbles incoherently, still asleep.
"I'll answer it then." Sally extracts herself from under Danny, slides out of bed, pads into the den, and picks up the phone. "You woke me up."
"My apologies," comes the reply. "I wouldn't call if it wasn't important."
"…Neera?" Sally asks. "How did you get this number?"
"Not important," Neera answers. "I need you in the Shang Tu Labs ASAP."
"You know my access was revoked," Sally reminds.
"We'll use mine. How soon can you be there?"
"Can I put clothes on first?" Sally yawns.
"Obviously," Neera assures. "And I'll bring you a strong coffee; sounds like you could use it."
"Then I'll be there within the hour." Sally hangs up.
"We're going back to the Palace, aren't we?" Danny asks.
Sally almost jumps out of her fur. "Don't do that!" she snaps.
"Sorry," Danny apologises, blushing slightly.
"Well, I'm properly awake now, at least," Sally sighs, calm again. "Quicker than getting coffee. And yes, we're going back to the Palace."
