Selene smiled to Lucas as they stood on a very deep crator. It was dusty and strange.
"Why are we here Selene?" Asked The angel.
The moon goddess gave a rather enigmatic smile. "Because I have a present for you."
"A present? Sheesh, I don't need anything. I got everything I want!" Lucas had to laugh at that. Okay sure there were a few bumps on the road, but seriously... what more could she want?
Selene gestured and suddenly... there was a moon quake. Lucas instinctively used her wings to rise upwards, but was surprised when she felt her feet touch something solid. Something was rising above the dust!
It continued to rise, grand and proud...
"Oh.. my.. goddess," said Lucas as she realised just what she was standing on. "You're... giving me... this?"
Selene nodded.
They stood on the deck of a ship, that could easily have been an old galley. The wood was reddish brown and It had curious emblems and designs on it. Upon each side where ores would be were strange and very large white wings, that looked a lot like Lucas's. Upon the crow's nest was a hallow on top. But it was the sails more then anything, that drew Lucas's eyes. They were filled with moondust, as they shimmered in the light of the sun.
"This can take you to places, beyond..." said Selene. "It's a ship that holds many mysteries... and existed in one of the previous ages where magic was more prevalent. It was crafted in my honour, and I blessed them for it... though I have no desire or reason to use a ship to travel anywhere. Therefore, I am giving it to you... come... let me show you around." The moon goddess lead the mortal inside.
Lucas could only look slack-jawed as she wondered about the ship.
"The bridge," said Selene. You can fly the ship using the light from your hallow to direct her. It will.. take some practice."
Lucas looked around. It was... a very simple design. A simple chair and.. an anvil? "What's that for?" she asked gesturing to the blackened block of lead. It was curiously out of place here- yet it still seemed to fit things.
"A place to put your sword dear. Excalibur can be a burden, and you do not have to hold it all the time now. If you rest it here, only you can ever remove it. Consider it... a security lock for your ship. You can ward the engines in any way you like, using your sword. Go ahead... place it within and see what happens."
As Lucas placed the sword, strange lights lit up around her.
Selene smiled again. "The ship recognises you Lucas... all it asks is a name now. Speak the name and it is yours forever."
Lilly had settled into her new routine. It was a typical day as she came back from the magic circle and started writing down whatever came to her mind. It was a struggle and difficult... but she was doing quite well. Maybe later on they could attempt something more advanced... like a fly spell. (Though she would need Hannah around, just in case.)
Her new internet friend, Hikari was on her computer and gave a wave on the screen. It was a little eerie how digital fairies interacted with the real world.
It was certainly a little odd to be friends with a teenage digital fairy. Hikari was nice though, and had introduced the squirrel girl to Nadine. Nadine sometimes came by in a physical form, thanks to something Hikari did... but whatever it was, neither of them said how the feat was accomplished. It was a secret they shared.
Lilly often wondered if there were any other digital fairy children... and if there would be in the future. Maybe Hikari would have a family of her own on the internet? Though she seemed very shy to give any personal details of herself... still, Lilly didn't feel anything 'bad' about her exactly... just very private.
"I... had a look at Julian's computer," said Hikari.
Lilly looked concerned at that. "Oh... he ain't doin' anythin' bad now is he?"
"Um... no. He's not. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I'll keep an eye on him."
Lilly got that feeling again that Hikari was hiding something. However before she could say anything Hikari spoke first.
"Really Lilly, Don't worry about it. You're a kid now.. just have fun. I'm older then you and well... you're not the only one he caused problems for. I'll keep an eye on him. There is nowhere on Earth he can hide from a digital entity."
Lilly smiled a little at that. "You're really nice to worry 'bout stuff like this."
Hikari looked down a bit. "I have my reasons... take care of yourself kid," she said. With that, the strange digital fairy left Lilly's computer.
Hiro couldn't believe it. "You did what!" he said as soon as he became 'himself' again. What was he thinking! What the hell could have gone through Hikari's- his- her- mind to even talk to Julian let alone help! He didn't want anything more to do with her!
I couldn't ignore a girl crying, Hiro heard a voice say in his mind.
Hiro groaned. No... we... I couldn't ignore a girl crying.
This was... getting weird. Maybe even dangerous? Hiro was fairly sure that if it was just him, he would have left Julia to her fate. Why should he get involved? He didn't really want to get into the 'implication' of that... was Hikari simply more 'forgiving' then Hiro? Because she was a girl? But that couldn't be right... they were the same person! There was continuity between being that digital persona, and being his physical self. It wasn't as if Hiro ceased to be when he became this other personality and form. Sure there was just a few little differences in their 'software', due to the architecture they had to inhabit... but they were duel processors! Hiro would have had to make the same decisions...
"Hikari, we can't help Julia!" he said quietly.
Why not?
"Because..." Because she was a miserable excuse of a human being! (or close enough anyway.) According to Lilly, he made a deal with the enemy of all reality and wanted to become a god! Why would anyone want to help someone like that!
So... what are the other options? Will you just let Lilly keep an eye on her instead? Or just let her be?
Hiro gulped at that. He only knew Lilly now as Hikari... Hikari didn't want to have the child deal with things that were just too difficult. Hiro... didn't really want to involve her in situations like that- even if she does seem capable. Sure, it was Julian who did everything to them... but Hiro allowed it to be that way too, when Billy was inducted in their gang. Even if Hiro was just as much a victim... he felt now far more responsible. He should have done something to protect Billy... he should have walked away when things were getting bad. The cyborg wanted to make amends somehow now.
... but to do so by 'helping' Julia? If this were a program, she would explode by the paradox. Even more so that he was talking to another aspect of his own being.
Okay, said Hiro. but... a few ground rules. First of all, I don't want anyone knowing I'm you... I'm.. me.. er.. you know what I mean," said Hiro annoyed at talking to 'himself' which happened to be a 'herself' too. "I wanted to come clean on this with the other e-life but... we can't let anyone know. If Julia finds out... it would be... awkward."
Alright... anything else?
Hiro sighed. "Let's take things one step at a time... we made a lot of new friends. We... we don't want to mess things up again," he said quietly. Hiro was very proud of the work achieved on the internet so far... even if...
... nobody could ever know, he was the architect.
