| "Yes, I do believe I can," she says softly.
As Ti'mma D'Honaire explains the basics of the situation to the earnest
Military man who'd adopted and saved a beautiful elfin babe from the flames,
Eric's eyes grow wider and wider in shock.
Ti'mma explains how it came about.
"And I'll thank you not to make that public," she finishes.
Eric is about to say something, and pauses when he remembers one piece
of the exotic society he'd studied so hard in order to give his son as
normal as upbringing as possible.
"And thus is why I haven't heard of others with similar problems," he
says hoarsly, "but what can be done? I mean.....you went through it and
it seems you recovered well enough....."
"Well, from what I know what I went through it involves the new and
old fully merging.....or actually opening up of both sides to the other,"
the young/old elfin lass says softly, "the reason why it took so long with
me because there was a.....word. It's.....called a Soulname......."
She then explains the basics of what it was.
"Sort of like a password to the soul, eh?" Eric muses, looking over
at the chatting elves....and his son.
"Aye, but the thing is that it's not good in this case," Ti'mma says,
shivering in remembrance, "For those elves from my....old universe without
such things as Soulnames....say like some of the one's from Sorrow's End.....well,
not that the name really matters, but once the Re-emergence happens they
almost instantly readjust. But for me and my descendants......"
"It hindered," Eric guessed. Ti'mma nodded.
"Yes, it did," Ti'mma said, remembering, "If not for my parents doing
some research into some of the more esoteric independent black and white
comic books, Elfquest....."
Her Soulname had been....published much later....near the end of the
comic company's existence...... When it went under like many other things
during the Night of Blood.....
Eric Jones, familiar with the recent theories of all works of fiction
having been in actuality glimpses into other universes, nodded.
"They found and spoke my Soulname," Ti'mma said, "Otherwise I'd
still be divided and confused even to this day. It also neutralized the
effects of the Soulname.....the good and bad."
"In other words, once spoken....broken," Eric muttered, "But it's not
silence."
"Which is a good thing," Ti'mma said, "A Soulname that a few million
or more know...... scary. It doesn't matter if spoken before a the
Re-emergence, but once spoken after it......
"An entirely too public password," she finishes, "It becomes a catalyst,
but then just becomes a word....an ordinary word afterwards."
The last part is overheard by the other elves as they come over.
"But....what if I spoke it aloud just to myself?" the silver haired
boy asks.
Eric drifts over and interfaces with the room's computer I/O port, doing
a little research. Through clues he'd garnered from his son's ramblings
and what he'd overheard from the newcomer elves' conversation with little
Solik'tril....this "other" inside him was somebody who's name translated
into "One Eye."
The look of almost religious awe is present again in all the other elves
eyes, and Ti'mma sighs to herself. She had developed a slight aversion
of being put on a pedestal....the looks she'd seen in the comic books that
reflected a reality that no longer was.
"No, little ones, it must be either those who brought you into this
world.....or those who've raised like they have brought you into the world,"
the Mother of the Wolfriders sighed, "That or close kin like our.....kin
who still wears her old skin. Or those like me...."
"But, once you speak it....you'll also see into their souls....share
their most traumatic memories," Ti'mma says, "Shan't take long in real
time, but......"
"Sur !" Eric Jones cries and both he and his son go....elsewhere
in the aether of the mind.
Several people blink at that surprise, but then again it's amazing what
one can do with the highest quality cyberjack and a connection to the Net,
where one can find all sort of interesting things....especially with the
right security clearance!!
But to jump right in like that without preparing beforehand....days
of prep time before taking the plunge.....
-
 Thus,this
is why Grailing and the others find Ti'mma and the others (including...
surprisingly.... the Champions) being looked after by a rather flabbergasted
male nurse as they join in a journey of the mind to aid the intrepid (and
impulsive) Jones.
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