Morgan stood in front of the Spire, staring at it, the glowing ambiance of the cave soothing, in a way. There was no one here, usually, so she could be alone without anyone disturbing her. No offense to everyone else, though. She wished to be alone.

She had a lot to think about.

Mainly... Sora. Annie-Sora, too. Her little child whom she'd only seen from the bushes, too afraid of herself to step forward and tell her that, yes, she was her mother, and that she loved her and wanted to come home.

But then she'd be lying. She had no home to go back to, she thought. So she'd stay here, in Polaris, where magic choked the air around the Spire, where she was alone. All alone.

"How do I breathe now?", she mumbled, "When the air has been stolen from my lungs?"

Annie had followed the trail. She'd gone from Canis, up to Eridanus, and when she'd found no sign of her mother, she'd gone a bit further up. She hadn't expected her to be here, but... here she was.

"... Mama?", she asked, the word unfamiliar, but she stepped forward anyway, seeing every trait she'd been described.

Black fur, two prong horns, two massive ears, thick feet with long claws on her front legs... like Sora, she'd been changed.

Slowly, Annie walked forward, her big green eyes large and scared. She didn't know her mother, didn't know if she'd lash out. What if she did? What then?

"... Morganite?", she tried instead.

Morganite turned and faced the small white puffball, barely taller than her knees with soft ears and her own massive green eyes staring back at her.

”... Annie?”, she asked, in disbelief.

Her own daughter... was here? Why? How did she find her? She'd tried so hard to stay hidden, to keep away until she was stable-

”I'm sorry,” she said, breath hitching, ”F-for leaving. For staying away.”

But she couldn't be a mother. Annie didn't deserve a mother like her.

Annie leapt forward, only to stop as Morganite... apologized.

"... Don't be sorry, mama,", she said, "I-I talked to auntie Sora. She wants you back too. She doesn't hate you, I know it. And I know you don't hate her. You named me after her. You're just scared, mama."

She stepped forward, eyes hopeful, "But you don't need to be. You can come home, mama. We can be a family!"

She was being awfully ambitious, but she didn't realize. She didn't know that betrayal and grief and hurt wouldn't heal with a few simple words.

She didn't know.

Morgan shook her head, tears welling up, ”I hurt people, baby... I'm sorry. I can't hurt you, I-I can't hurt Sora.”

She reached forward to brush against Annie's feathers, leaning forward to nuzzle her sweetly, ”It's better if I'm gone. T-tell Sora I love her, okay? A-and tell her... tell her to try to be happy, to come back to the family. She needs you, I think. You need her, too. Family is more important than... than anything.”

She turned and headed towards the cold, ears down, head low. This was for the best, she reasoned. If she'd just died in the trial, then Simon and Kini and the others could have lived. But she was a coward. She'd always be a coward.

Annie's eyes widened, "W-wait- no! You're supposed to come home!! I promised Sora!! I PROMISED!"

Her ears pinned and she stared at Morganite helplessly, sniffling and crying. This wasn't supposed to happen! She was going to talk Morganite into coming with her, and she was going to help them make up... this was wrong!

"Please!", she begged, "Please mama! D-don't leave me!"

She ran forward and grabbed Morganite by the tail, trying to physically keep her from leaving, but the other wouldn't be swayed.

"Mama!", she wailed, tears falling, "Please!"

Morganite felt tears welled up as she kept walking, and turned to nudge Annie away, ”Just forget me, Annie.”

She turned and ran, as fast as she could into the tunnel, her child's wails disappearing.

She was selfish, a coward, and most of all... a hypocrite. She'd never be able to face any of them after this. If she lived. She hoped the cold would take her. Then no one would ever have to deal with her again.

Exit

Annie sat down heavily, chest tight, sniffling wetly. She was gone. Did she not matter to her? Did Sora and Pumpkin and Charles not matter?

Why was her mother... why was she like this? No one had described her like this.

Later, she might piece together that Morganite was seriously messed up, but now? She was just betrayed.

She turned and made her way back to the tunnel she'd come from, to return to Sora with only disappointment. For she'd failed.

Exit