failure
This was... unheard of. They had tested this world, realised it was defended and had gone straight away to their most powerful weapons, yet... they still failed. Indeed from the one named Lucas, they had started to understand a new emotion... belittlement. Their failures have started to manifest in the idea that they were not actually a threat. They were ridiculed.... equations did not show the appropriate response to this. It was something beyond their understanding.
Analysis
Once more they poured over the data. However, nothing new showed itself. Everything pointed that they should have succeeded in their goal. Stopping the force of time would have left this world in a perpetual state and thus solve the annihilation problem. Yet it did not work. Time marched on, sometimes fast, sometimes slow... but unyieldingly in its walk.
A new plan?
There was no precedent for a new plan after attempting something like this. There was not a lot more they could do. They couldn't attempt another time stop, as the creature had been decimated. There was the most tenuous link on the remainder, but it was missing vital pieces to make the process work. Theoretically they could encourage the creature's 'pair' to fill the gaps with the pieces in her, but she lacked the potential energy now. Lilly was useless to them having lost it all.
Repeat recorded scenario's with Lilly Gordon
Slowly they poured over the strange issue that had become apparent with using the squirrel child. A curious duality existed in the mind of the creature. By interacting with it, they had emphasised and made that issue all the stronger, perhaps due to their own issue of self-examination. When they looked into the data of other creatures they found a similar duality- perhaps not as pronounced, but it was definitely there. It was as if these beings were going through their own 'definitions'? The similarity as well as the realisation that Lilly was indeed on a similar 'path' was very unsettling. Were they fighting sentience similar to itself? Or were these beings an extension of itself? Such didn't seem plausible but then, these creatures had solved equations into their own favour, by what seemed to be just 'luck'.
Examine the duality of the species closely
So they checked and checked again all the data once more. The battle within Lilly intrigued them. It paralysed the child momentarily, and was an unintended effect of their interaction with her. Their own battle manifesting as an extension to her. Could that be used as a weapon?
So many layers that made up these individuals... Lucas for instance, defined herself as an 'angel of vengeance'. Yet she was not always such a being... someone else must reside there, even if it was buried under layers of thought. What if... they could make her nullify herself? Make that force of vengeance directed upon the other that must exist? If they could weaponise this aspect, it might paralyse all the sentients... even possibly, the Numbers? Then perhaps it would not be ridiculed.
... It started to achieve a dislike for being ridiculed.
Anomaly detected There was some excitement?
They went over the recording of Lilly' room, under her bed with the various trinkets she had uncovered. There, hidden among the 'junk' was a blue stick... the after glow of an item- no... The item. However they had not detected the actual item around Lilly's house, nor street... and it was not possible to search with such intensity any further then that.
A search area has been defined
Perhaps now they will find it.
Lilly was back in her house. She was lying in bed, blushing just a bit at that really strange dream. She dreamed she had found a magic box, that had a wand in it and turned her into a magic girl. She had even gone to her window to see if the box was there... but no, it was not. There was a mix of relief but also... disappointment?
She gingerly touched her pyjamas as she looked out on the street. Humans were walking around now that it was night. Some of them looked a little grumpy and sad. Living without sunlight must be difficult for them. She drew the curtains again as she thought about her strange dream. She wanted to be like her 'mummy' and... she had to shudder just a bit. Eww... that was one very weird dream.
meow
Lilly gasped. She looked under her bed, and saw the strange pink cat. It must have followed her home? Maybe that's why she was dreaming of a cat. For some reason she felt herself starting to cry tears. The cat jumped onto Lilly's bed and curled itself onto her lap.
"H-Hello... Sakura?" She said timidly.
meow
Lilly rubbed it's belly. Oh she hoped her parents would let her keep her! She got up carrying the cat, her large twin tails swishing back and forth as she approached her mother's room. Mrs Gordon was resting lightly, catching up on some much needed sleep. Lilly couldn't help but stare at her mother's pregnant belly with some shy curiosity. "M-Mom?" She nudged.
"Yes Sweety?" she said. "Oh- What do you have there?" She was now quite awake.
"A-A cat followed me home. C-can I keep her please?"
"I don't know dear. They say a cat isn't good for a baby to be around." She glanced down at her stomach.
"I'll keep her clean! I'll take care of her I promise!" Lilly looked even more hopeful, with her large eyes.
Lilly's mother just smiled a little amused at the little girl. "Well, okay. But you have to be really good with it. What's her name?"
"S-sakura," Said the squirrel girl.
Mrs Gordon blinked at the rather strange name but nodded. "Well okay..."
Lilly couldn't help it she found herself touching her mother's pregnant belly but blushed a bit.
"It's okay dear. Want to feel it kick?" She allowed her daughter to place her paw where she knew the baby seemed the most active. "About there... give it a minute..."
The squirrel girl gasped a bit as she felt the strange sensation. "U-Um mom? H-How d-do you g-get a b-baby there?"
"I... thought you knew dear?" Mrs Gordon was a little surprised now. If also a bit worried. She knew her daughter was forgetting things but something as fundamental as that? She hugged her child all the more close.
"I- I can't remember," Lilly said blushing. Was she supposed to know?
