You feel it
all, and in this place, you feel farther than you ever have before, something in the rocksoilwatergrasstrees carrying your awareness miles further than even your prodigious talents can achieve on their own. You sense an entire world, with people scattered all around, and somewhere, not far at all, a tiny home with a presence that feels like warmth and comfort, iron and will, protection and discipline, respect and confidence -- like all good mothers everywhere-
Your eyelids flutter.
Grandma Videl?
Yes, that's her. You didn't think I'd work too far from home, did you? But bring it out again. No thoughts. And tell me...where is your ki?
Out your awareness spreads once more, and only once you can drift no farther do you peer again throughout it all for yourself, and...and-
* * *
Back.
* * *
You blink, pulling yourself up off the couch and away from Endivan and Fasha as you feel One's ki signature flickering back into her body. It feels...
You huff.
Two, do you feel that?
Yeah, I do, Three. Can you get away from our siblings and check on her? I'm elbow-deep in note-taking with Miss Fren.
You wrinkle your nose.
Lucky. Yeah, I'll throw something together. Three out.
You look down at your little siblings. "Hey, wanna play hide-and-seek?"
Fasha pops up, grinning. "Yeah!" She turns and starts to immediately run away before checking herself. "But, uh, no sensing!" Another few steps, then pause. "Or flying, that's no fair!" Once more. "And don't do that vippy thing you do!" She makes it out the door. A moment later, her head pokes back in. "Come on, E!"
Your littlest brother, still panting on the couch, hops up and sprints after Fasha.
You watch them go and wait until they're a good distance away. Mato looks up at you with a wry expression. "You're gonna do that stuff anyway."
You snort. "I mean, yeah, but not while looking for them. I just needed a minute to go check on something."
He nods. "Okay. Makes sense." He goes back to his notes. "Bye, Kakara. Love you."
"Love you too, doofus," you say, putting your fingers to your forehead.
vip
You reappear next to One. She's flat on her back, staring up at the sky with blank eyes and a massive, blissed-out grin.
...you stare at her for a second.
...Two, did we find out what drugs do at some point, and I just forgot?
...um. No? School has a unit in a couple of months on it?
Yeah, thought so.
...wwhhhyyyyyy?
I'm trying to figure out if One had some at some point. She looks like that drunk guy we saw that one time did.
...what did Grandpa do?
I have no idea. I'm gonna wake her up.
You step forward and poke her. "One. Hey, One. Wake up. I'm not re-merging you when you're like this, I don't want it to spread. Come on, One."
She giggles quietly.