“The next challenge will be chosen by the sister who wishes to leave us,” Celeste announced to the assembled group.
“Sister that is not fair. She will pick a challenge that she knows that she can win.” Carly said sounding worried that she had lost the support of the others in the sisterhood.
“Fear not sister you will have an opportunity to pick a challenge as well but first it is that sisters’ turn,” Celeste replied
“In that case, I think that it is fair,” Carly said realizing that her fear was unfounded at least at the moment.
“Thank you, sister. I chose the Makers Mark Challenge, If I May.” Dalia said finding it harder and harder to speak the way that she had in the past. She knew that winning this challenge would solve that problem for her.
“The Makers Mark Challenge, what does that involve?” Carly asked.
“Only members of the unchanging have a mark given to them by their maker. Anyone who does not have one can is not a member of the unchanging and must be a soft body.” Celeste told her.
“As I am a soft body and you are now one of the unchanging then you would have the mark that I once had,” Dalia informed Carly.
“So, if I can show that I have no mark then I am the soft body and you are one of the unchanging,” Carly replied almost smiling as she knew that she had no kind of mark on her that the sisterhood could read as the mark from their maker.
“That would be true,” Celeste said.
Carly thought for a moment should she accept this challenge. Was there any way that she could lose it?
“I accept the challenge.” She said defiantly.
“So be it,” Celeste announced
Dalia stood trying to hold back her smile and was just about managing.
“My mark was on my right foot. If you have the mark on your foot, then you have truly taken my place within the sisterhood then your mark will be there too.” Dalia said to the assembled group
The group headed over to another part of the store. Here the floor was so highly polished that you could see your reflection in it.
“Challenger will go first,” Celeste told the pair of them.
Dalia slipped off her right shoe that she was wearing and held it out over the floor.
“I no longer have a mark on my foot that means I am no longer one of the unchanging.” She announced no longer trying to hide how her voice sounded.
“Now you sister,” Celeste said edging Carly towards the mirrored section of the floor.
Carly slowly slipped her foot out of her right shoe as Dalia had done a moment before.
"You have not proven your argument new sister" Celeste, and the other members of the sisterhood announced after what appeared to be no time at all.
“That cannot be. I am a soft body”. Carly said as she looked down at the floor which held the reflection of her foot which clearly showed a block of text and next to that was a ©. She then looked over at Dalia’s foot which showed no markings of any kind.
“New sister we will take a break as before. This is so you can decide what your challenge will be.” Celeste said leading all but Victoria away to the far end of the store.
Dalia returned to what had become her area of the store since she had first announced her challenge to the former soft body. Picking up the small phone that she had been using to speak to her friend throughout the challenges.
“How did you manage to place the maker's mark on her foot?” Dalia asked down the phone line.
“Very easily, I didn’t. She did. She thought that the pain that she had the stand that she was connected to. She never even noticed that there was anything inside her shoes that might have made a mark against her foot. Not long now Friend. Not long now.” The voice said down the line.
