“Sisters it is time for the next challenge. The Challenge of Knowledge.” Celeste told the rest of the sisterhood.
They stood around her as if in shock. It had been a long time since this challenge had been invoked but it had also been a long time since any unchanging had wished to leave the sisterhood and have a soft body replace them.
“As many of you know when one is given the position in the sisterhood that I have they are given access to knowledge that others do not have access to.” Celeste went on to say. “It is that knowledge that I will use to test our new sister and our old sisters' right to be a soft body or an unchanging,” Celeste informed the group.
Carly was standing in the middle of the gathering still with no hair on her head finally awoke from her state of shock over losing the last challenge at this information and asked a question. “Sister, you said that there have been many who have held your position is that correct?”
“Yes, that is correct Sister I am but the latest in a long line to have been given this honor,” Celeste replied.
“If this is the case would others not have the same knowledge as you do sister?” Carly asked in return.
“If they were able to keep the knowledge sister that would be correct. However, as part of the transfer from one sister to another, they lose that information, and it passes to the next. Only one of the sisterhood can hold the information at any time.” Celeste answered.
“Ok.” Was Carly’s one-word reply.
“If no sister has any questions I will proceed with the challenge?” Celeste asked the assembled sisters.
The room was silent. This was one of the challenges that Dalia was worried about. She was not sure of winning it. She thought that if she lost it that former human may gain the strength to fight the Rite of Exchange that she was currently using to gain her rightful place in the world of the humans. Her former sister had told her that Carly needed to remain distracted for the rite to be effectful. She knew that she would need to keep up the pressure on the former human to make sure this was the case regardless of the result of the challenge.
*“I will see each of the two sisters in private and ask each of them one question. Only the true soft body and myself will know the correct answer, the winner of the challenge will be the one who can answer the question. I will begin with our old sister Dalia attend. *Celeste said as she walked towards a more private area of the store to begin.
Carly watched the two sisters move away. She looked down towards the floor where she saw lying there what had been her hair now just a wig. She looked closer it looked just like a disregard wig. She had been so upset when Dalia had removed it from her head a short time ago and yet here, she was standing in a group of the unchanging with her now bald head. She tried not to think about it she knew she had to keep her wits about her for the current challenge. Celeste had said that only the true soft body would know the answer to the question that awaited her, so she had to win this challenge, didn’t she? She had thought that about the last challenge, but she had lost hadn’t she?
“New sister it is now your turn to hear the question,” Celeste said from almost right in front of her.
Carly had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had not heard Celeste approach or Dalia walk past her. Carly followed behind Celeste to the same isolated part of the store to face questioning from Celeste.
“Do not worry sister I have but one question for you which will define the result of the challenge nothing more?” Celeste informed Carly using a soothing tone that made Carly think of her mother.
“I can not help but worry sister as the answer to this question of yours may determine my fate as to whether or not I go back to my life as a soft body or truly become one of the unchanging,” Carly told Celeste honestly.
“Then I will ask you the question and hopefully put you at rest,” Celeste informed Carly.
“Thank you, Sister,” Carly Replied
“The soft bodies have a word for the unchanging, that they can not say even if you use it when talking to one of the sisterhood. No matter how many times they hear it they are unable to repeat it. Only once a sister is placed into the position that I hold is that sister able to say it but only while they hold the position. Once they lose the position that sister is no longer able to say the word. We do not know why this happens all we know is that happens. So the question I have for you sister is what is that word? If you are truly a soft body as you claim sister you know that word.” Celeste asked Carly.
Carly stood deep in thought trying to make sure that she did not give the wrong answer to Celeste’s question. She did not want to lose any more of herself to these challenges. She did not want to be a mannequin for the rest of her life.
“I need to hear your answer sister or you will have lost the challenge,” Celeste said pressing Carly for an answer.
“Mannequin,” Carly said softly trying not to upset Celeste.
“Thank you sister please rejoin your guide while the sisterhood discusses the answers given,” Celeste told Carly.
Carly turned and walked back towards Victoria. The answers given she thought so Dalia must have said something but what? She could not lose this challenge as she had the others.
“How do you think you did?” Victoria asked.
“I don’t know but we should find out soon,” Carly told her.
"You have proven your argument. New sister" Was the result of their incredibly short debate.
Dalia stood to the side of the main group of the sisterhood. She knew she had to act soon and keep the former human on the back foot. Once again these words and terms arrived in her head. Another sign that the Rite of Exchange was working the way it should she just needed to keep her opposition distracted.
“Can’t win them all. I will just have to make sure I do better in the next challenge.” She said.
Carly was sure she could see a smile on Dalia’s face but why she had lost the challenge.
“Sisters we will take a break before the next challenge,” Celeste announced to the assembled sisterhood.
Once again Dalia went to the opposite side of the store from Carly and Victoria. Dalia needed to speak to her former sister. No that was right her Friend yes that sounded better in her head. Her help was coming from a friend and not a sister. She had to be careful when speaking to the others she couldn’t let them hear her new way of speaking at least not yet.
