Chapter 4: reunion
They flew home, silent, reflecting, but painfully aware of other thoughts. Demona thought about her recent "tantrums" with people who called her Jennifer. Psiona thought about her "tantrums" with people who insisted she did not have the Psi. And both thought of the other, and their similarities, and wondered. But Psiona knew of someone who could provide some answers.
When they arrived, Jim saw Psiona first. "Hi honey. How was your day?"
"Fine, dad. Listen, this is my shadower, …"
"Jennifer," he whispered, awestruck, as Psiona moved aside. Demona and stuck out a clawed hand to shake. He held it in one hand and stroked her cheek gently with the other.
"How… who…"
"my little Zerglin'."
A flash of recognition came into her eyes. "Uncle Jimmy!"
He cringed slightly before giving her a hug. Psiona had never seen him look so sad. She was tempted to leave, but she wanted, needed to know, to understand.
"I missed you so much, Jenny,"
They broke apart.
"Actually, I go by Demona now."
"Figures. Just like your mother. She always was one for titles."
"What?!?!?"
"never mind, before your time."
"You knew Mom before she had me?!?!?!"
"Yes…"
"Then you know who my father is!!
"Ye-es, I do…"
"Who?!?"
"I'm not I should…"
"WHO?!?!?"
"Don't tell your mother…"
"WHO?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?"
"me."
She was stunned. So was Psiona, who the other two had forgotten was standing there or even existed until she asked, "So that makes us sisters?"
"Yes. Twins, actually."
"So… my mom ISN'T dead?"
"no."
"So you lied to me for 16 years?!?!?!?!?!"
"Honey, I had no choice. You would have looked for her! See, your mother had her memory wiped. She… suffice it to say it would be to painful if I remained. So I took you and left."
Why didn't he take me, too? Thought Demona.
He LIED to me! Thought Psiona.
"Well, I guess we should get my evil twin here settled."
Demona pulled a face at "evil twin", but followed Psiona into her, no their bedroom. She gestured to the vid screen. "This thing have E-vid?"
"Huh? Yeah. Go ahead and use it."
She called her mom on it. She happened to be online at the time.
"Hi sweetie! How are you? What are the Templar like?"
"There is one that interests me. Mother, meet Psiona." With that, Demona yanked her twin in front of the broadcast lens. No-one spoke. Psiona recognized her as the Queen of Blades, but without the angry, defiant look in pictures. And she also recognized her as a face from long ago. Sarah recognized her enough to remember her, but also knew that she had changed a lot. But she did not truly remember her, or only as Jimmy's daughter.
"Hello. Jimmy's daughter, right? Psiona? Long time no see."
Psiona was confused. "Um, mom?"
Sarah looked tired. "Am I?"
"I think so…"
"Oh. See, I got amnesia at some point, can't remember a large chunk of my life…"
"Um, whatever. It's getting late here…
"Ok sweetie! Come visit me sometime, k?"
"Bye…"
And they logged off.
Demona was confused. This was too weird for her.
Psiona made up her mind. "If you're up at midnight, I'll show you something cool!"
"Um, ok."
Silence.
"This is too weird."
Do you have Psychic powers, too?
Obviously, since I heard that.
Freak.
I HEARD THAT TOO!!!
I meant you to.
Silence.
Wonder why they split us up?
You heard daddy.
You BELIEVE that windbag?!?!
That "windbag" is my FATHER!!!
Mine, too, apparently.
A long pause.
I don't believe we're sisters.
Yeah, well, since Dad lied to me for 16 years, I'm not sure we ARE twins. We're nothing alike, really.
Long pause.
Can you shapeshift?
Yup.
Me too.
I bet I learned first!
How would you know?
We could ask…
But if it was after the split…
Long pause.
Dang! This sucks!
Is it midnight yet?
No.
Go to sleep then.
Why?
You'll need energy if you want to go unnoticed.
Oh. G'night.
G'night.
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In the middle of the night, 2 Demonas crept stealthily into the night.
Look, it's only because I stand out more! It's just coloration!
Well, stop it!
No!
They came to a cliff wall. There was a shock field extending along the perimeter.
Now you copy me.
And one of the Demonas changed to a small, squirrel-like thing clinging madly to the cliff. The other followed suit. Then the first changed to a cliff-bug and scurried along tunnels, the real Demona hurrying to keep up.
Slow down!
We're gonna miss it!
They broke through to the eerie moonlight and Psiona flew off the cliff, followed by Demona.
At least she stopped …
Her thought was interrupted by the beauty of a hundred thousand silver fish jumping in the moonlight. They were in a cave in the cliff overlooking the sea. Below them was a beach closed to public access.
"It's because of the moonfish that people, or rather Protoss, are banned from entering here. But not hybrids. They are missing from the sign. Perhaps Zerg are banned, but not… us."
"It's beautiful."
They watched the fish jump for almost an hour. When they were done, the beach grew darker. Psiona made a motion like scattering corn to the wind and a hundred hundred fairy lights lit up the beach. Psiona swept down to a small stream they illuminated and drank. Demona followed. The water was sweet and good.
They splashed in the waves for a while and fell asleep in the sand. Demona set up a "mental alarm" to wake her when Psiona awoke. So Psiona did not notice that Demona was watching when she slipped into a sand-cave, then came out with a broken comlink unit. She turned it over and over as she stared at the sea. Then she replaced it and went to awaken Demona, who quickly pretended to sleep.
"Demon-spawn! Wake up!"
"Uuhn... que hora es?"
"I hate dead languages. 6 AM."
"Ah, si, gracias."
"Shut up."
"Siento. But it's too early for my brain to function properly."
"Yeah, but if you don't want to get caught..."
"Vamanos!"
Cinco minutos, er, 5 minutes later, two swallows flew from the cliff to Psiona's house, and the 2 girls crawled back into bed.
Ok, this one is a bit long. Can you tell I wrote the end in Spanish class? R+R!!!
