Description: At last, Luise arrives to find the 'Flower' that she was directed to, deep in the mountains of Central America. At first, it seems as if all of her prayers had been answered... but what had been promoted as a meeting full of hope and promise turns into something altogether different. ("Schmetterling und Strohblume", Part 4)
Not a moment passes that doesn't consist of mystery and intruige, surely wherever Luise is headed will be a place like none other, a place where all of the questions she had will be answered. One thing is for sure, however, and tat is taking a two or three hour ride with Jaeger simply cannot be very fun. What is impressive is how well the jeep can handle driving about and on mountain landscape.
After finally making a bumpy, low-lit ride through a tunnel, the ride comes to an end, of course, and from this point Luise would once more find herself on her own. The atmosphere this time is just slightly darker, the weather is still muggy, but there is plenty more fog about making it difficult, but not impossible to see below. She finds herself now within a circle of mountains, and there is no road that leads downward into the thick forest of trees below.
And Dancing Butterfly is given a somewhat important item however, a small bag that contains a compass, map, an even smaller pouch within that. 'The entrance is right below you. That's for finding your way back.' Are the last words of Jaeger whom is clearly NOT sticking around for the show, his job is done. The vehicle tears into reverse, and makes its way back through the tunnel.
The sounds of chirping birds fill the air; and it's very simple to just slide down since the 'path' is more or less a downward ramp that leads under the trees, and to a seemingly abandoned hut of straw that it hides.
So much has happened in the past few hours. During the entire trip into the mountains, Luise is... well, the only word is numb. When she first contacted Seth so long ago, trying to find leads on her father's whereabouts, he warned her that she might not like the result... that she might be led to a place she'd rather not go.
Both literally and metaphorically, he was right.
But in a strange way, as she carefully works her way down into the secluded forest valley, Luise has reached a point of bizarre calm. Battered by the emotional hurricane, she has floated into its eye, found some strange peace in knowing what she must do next. The 'flower' has yet to be identified and certainly no reasonable ideas have come to her in the interim. And her father's initial success with genetics and Psycho Power hasn't been identified either... who or whatever it was. But perhaps the greatest hope is Jaeger's suggestion that his employer -- which can only be NESTS -- has no further use for Detlev Meyrink. Staunchly ignoring the possibility that this means he was killed as a result, she instead chooses to think that it means he has bargained for his freedom somehow, and is out there in the world, with the answers she needs.
The hut confuses her, as the Dancing Butterfly comes to a stop before it, attuning her senses to try and find its possible inhabitant.
It does seem rather.. Out of place. Yet it's so infested with bug-life and probably snakes that'd it deter anyone who was even crazy enough to come out here anyway to really check it out. Though there's also the fact that it doesn't look like it will hold up much longer, the open space that's clearly the doorway is occupied by a spider web.
As Luise concentrates, she doesn't feel any.. Human inhabitants at least. Plenty of creepy crawlies. On the other hand, if she chooses to take a few more steps closer, she's suddenly struck by an intense headache, a feeling as if her brain was being gradually inflated by a pump to an extremely uncomfortable, slightly staggering point. But seconds afterward it would simply vanish, leaving her with a bit of a chill.
It would certainly make a good refuge, wouldn't it? A hut in the middle of nowhere. If you're talented in survival skills then you could survive for... at least some amount of time on one's own. Never mind that Jaeger knew the location, which means that... someone else does. It seems unlikely that the mechanical assassin would have any knowledge that *someone* else hasn't gleaned from him in some way.
The only recourse, naturally, is to check the hut itse--
And that's when the crippling pain starts. Grimacing, her breath coming in loud gasps, Luise is forced to crouch, both hands flying to the top of her head, as if trying to hold it in place. The pain is barely tolerable, certainly debilitating... and in no way normal.
And then it's gone. Slowly, she gets to her feet, the shiver running across her pale skin reminding her, unpleasantly, of the... aura that filled the very ground, in Thailand. Although she didn't know it was Vega's psychic presence, the Dancing Butterfly was all too aware of how she never wanted to sense that sort of thing again...
Brushing aside the cobweb, she steps into the hut.
Stepping inside the hut reveals.. Suprisingly little. The coned roof leaves plenty of headroom, though looking around shows that this place couldn't really support more than one person. It's suprisingly modern in a sense, there's a desk to the left along with chairs, but there's nothing on it, or within the open drawers. The floor is simply many many wooden logs tied togeather like one was making a giant raft. Clearly not fun to sleep on, but clearly beats mud. To the right the wet, straw walls are bare, though there are some tools and materials, such as a shovel, flashlight, a pickaxe, a large battery that looks old but not completely useless (like one you'd see in a car), stakes, and a rope ladder.
In the back of the hut there is a large bookshelf. It is hardly occupied, the only thing within it is a single, leather bound book.
Now the alarm bells are ringing. The bookshelf is... incongruous at best. Everything else makes a weird kind of sense; the hut could have belonged to a nature researcher, or probably more likely a geologist of spelunker. The lack of something like a cot or hammock catches her as odd, too... why sleep on logs but bring a desk and bookshelf? However, the longer she thinks it over, the more Luise comes to realize if this is a trap, it's a rather stupid one. And in his own way, Jaeger is probably... quite honest. Why would he lie, or go to all this trouble... the 'man' said he'd happily obliterate humanity in person if he could.
There's nothing to be gained from going through the tools just yet. After all, most of the larger ones say exactly what they are there for. The book, however... well, if the humidity hasn't destroyed it already, it might be the only thing worth investigating at the moment. Even still, Luise's hand shakes for just a moment as she takes it from the shelf. Today has been full of uncomfortable truths... the book is almost sure to contain more.
Walking to the desk, she pulls out a chair and gingerly sits down in the event that age or climate has made it unsafe; if all the chairs are bad she simply sits on the top of the desk and flips open the book to the first page with any writing.
The chair is perfectly fine for sitting in, it's made of wood, though the springs under it creak loudly when settling back. Though in just moments time, Luise will find out just how right she is.
The book is about plants, and there isn't anything particularly interesting about it. However it also has notebook paper between some pages with notes about regeneration. The writing looks familiar somehow.
And that's when Luise's vision blurrs, and the huts insides look new. The difference in the surroundings being that the bookcase is placed much further to the right, and there's a large, square hole where the case was previously. A dark figure climbs up from it slowly.. It dusts off its hands on it's slacks, and then pushes the shelf back to it's normal spot.
"Luise." comes a voice, unfamiliar yet familiar. It's enough to knock Luise out of her trance, but with absolutly no clue where the voice came from. Maybe it was her imagination.
The first time she wrote it off as coincidence, or perhaps nerves. The second time it gnawed at her for days. Third time is the charm, and Luise is entirely unwilling to write that little episode off. The book is set gently on the table, and the esper closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and concentrating. Sadly, she gets nothing for her troubles... but a part of her is sure of what she saw.
"Echoes," she murmurs aloud. That's her guess, anyway... the 'science' of Psycho Power is beyond her, but her intuition and perception are finely honed even without the terminology. Every time she visits somewhere Detlev Meyrink has been, she sees these things. Memories... encoded into the very geography, seeping into the ground and the air. But why *now*? Certainly only sensitives would pick up on it; this is almost certainly why nobody else has followed her father's trail.
Only one way to find out if she's right.
Getting to her feet, Luise looks at the bookcase, then steps to one side of it and, securing a grip on the now-empty shelves, pushes it to one side.
Moving the case is simple enough, it drags along the wood with little trouble, and upon closer inspection, it's clear that the case is actually unusually thick.
As for her thoughts, obviously there is no one around to confirm them.
With that piece of furniture aside, surely enough there's an opening, large enough for a person to get down, but it's quite dark, and there's simply no telling just how exactly deep it is. The wood clearly has been cut through and there's no sign of a hinge being about previously, but deeper in is just soil as far as the eye can see. Listening close there is a very very faint sound of a hum, or perhaps a buzz.
For a moment, Luise simply stares down into the hole. It's all falling into place. Too neatly, says the paranoid voice, but at this point the Dancing Butterfly has not only walked to the precipice, she's effectively leaped over the side. There's nowhere to go but down, now... in multiple senses of the word.
Kneeling, she inspects the path down for a moment, cocking an ear at the buzzing sound. Then she stands and moves to the box of tools. It's unlikely whoever was here dug the entire thing him/herself, of course... but certainly there was daily work inside.
Snapping up the ladder, the shovel, and some stakes, she takes it to the hole and unravels the ladder down into it. The stakes are used to secure it; the flat end of the shovel is as good a hammer as she can manage. Once it's all set, she picks up the flashlight and clicks it on, expecting it to be dead. If it DOES work, she immediately shuts it off to conserve the battery. But working flashlight or not, her destination is the inside of that hole.
Despite the difficulties, things haven't been as difficult for Luise as they could have been. Is it worth getting suspicious about? It's difficult to say. The trip downward is easy enough, and goes with pretty much no disturbance. The ladder is suprisingly long, about 36 steps later brings Luise to the bottom- And yes the flashlight is working. Once the woman gets to the bottom, she's surrounded by darkness, but when she turns on the flashlight, the dirt path only goes a few feet onward until it reaches a metal floor and goes onward still.
The mud 'walls' and even the walls of the steel 'hall' are covered completely in blooming flowers and thick, spiked vines, yellows, reds, and greens oddly add a bit of beauty to an otherwise rather dank area. The humming grows louder still as Luise would draw closer.
And then finally at the end of the hall leads to a large metal room, where the source of the noise, a rather large engine can be seen as well as a lightswitch. Flipping it on causes the floor to give off a dull, blue glow enough to light up the low-roofed area. Tools, petals, and screws are scattered all over the floor that's submerged within an inch of water, which seems to be dripping from the roof. The area at first sight is completely bare, save for that engine.
The bag in Luise's hand, however, starts to give off a dull, blue glow as well. There's another wave of brain-expanding discomfort, this one lasting longer than at the entrance, and again disappears as if it were just a passing pain.
At first the glow passes unnoticed, as Luise teeters backwards from the sudden pain, a faint *clang!* echoing as she slumps against the wall, her hands again held to her head as if to somehow contain the pain that sears through her. It's as if there's some evil version of the visions that have been leading her here, assaulting her whenever she gets too close. Once the pain finally subsides, she slowly pulls away from the wall, brushing a hand behind her head and dislodging multicolored petals from her white-blonde hair.
The engine dominates the room, and Luise's attention. Whatever it is, the thing is still *running*, though what it's doing down here is anyone's guess. Touching it seems like a bad idea, and in fact the Dancing Butterfly feels an overwhelming urge to stay away from it for now...
...and as she backs up, she spies the bag that Jaeger gave her, flickering blue on the ground, and picks it up. 'To find your way back', he had said... but unless there's a sudden lightning storm on the horizon *underground* and that's St. Elmo's fire, the bag is acting very oddly. Furrowing her brow, Luise undoes the clasp or drawstring and opens it.
The woman finds that not only is there a compass and a rolled up map within, there's actually one more object in there, it's a much smaller bag in a little black velvet pouch. This seems to be the source of the odd glow. This is likely opened, and once it does, the plot thickens.
Within it is a small, silver chain, upon that chain is a small locket. It has an insignia of a butterfly on it, the locket just as silver and seems to be openable. Though before Luise gets a chance to do that, -something- starts to react from the thing.
The engine continues to hum, though now there are slender bolts of violet energy starting to dance about it, and in front of Luise, the wall gives off a dull glow as if something were behind a specific part of it, the glow leaving an outline in the shape of a door. And then within the 'door', another shape matching the insignia forms from the glow.
The pain in Luise's head isn't as intense as it has been before, but now she is feeling a headache as the voice speaks once more.. It's feminine, proper, gentle, and again there's a hint of familiarity to it. "You're early, Luise. I wasn't expecting you for at least enought four years.. I'm impressed."
Even Luise's patience and tolerance for the strange and unusual is being put to the test, and it shows on her face; the delicate features crack, the eyes dart to the sides of the room. She knows she is alone here, *knows* this... yet there is the voice speaking to her, from nowhere, in an underground chamber full of flowers, reacting to a butterfly pendant given to her by a robot who protected her father, in Central America. That she made it even this far without losing composure is perhaps a sign of Luise's infinite patience... or, perhaps, her steel-threaded determination to find out the truth about her father and why she is suddenly, terribly alone in the world.
The blue of her perfectly-manicured nails contrasts sharply with Luise's pale skin and white-blonde hair as her hands fly to her temples; a symbolic gesture, as if she is trying to hold something inside her skull that is screaming to escape. Perhaps it's simple exposure that makes the pain bearable rather than crippling, but pain is pain no matter how you slice it.
Lacking any sort of actual body to speak to, Luise directs her questions at the most conspicuous object in the room: the glowing door-outline emblazoned with the butterfly crest. Her normally melodious and measured tones are somewhat cracked by a combination of pain and outright fear, but she hasn't given in completely... not yet, anyway. "Who are you?" she demands. "What is this place?" Her final question... 'why do I know you?'... she keeps to herself for now.
It has been one unusual event after another, almost so much so, in fact, that it could in some ways be taken as a warning. But at this point, is it much too late to turn back?
But it doesn't particularly feel -dangerous- so much as just.. Extremely unusual and confusing. "That is mildly disappointing, coming here without even knowing who I am? I suppose there is a reasonable explanation in the long run. I am 'The Flower'." The voice responds, without even the slightest hint of impatience. "This place, is where it is to begin again. It is the source where the butterfly is destined to return. The flower must make itself vulnerable to the butterfly if it is to ever grow."
'The flower'...
Luise's study of science and the arts is quite prodigious, all things considered; she knows enough basic biology to know that butterflies, much like bees and other insects, are carriers of pollen, which is how flowers spread themselves about, being immobile. Flowers, in turn, provide things that butterflies themselves need to survive... food. Nourishment in the form of nectar. The relationship is one of carefully constructed symbiosis, a natural system that's prevailed for millennia.
But this only applies when the butterfly has emerged from its cocoon and develops wings with which to fly. The 'butterfly' persona -- even the name of her self-created Schmetterling Fighting Performance Arts -- is something that has been with Luise since she was a child, watching purple emperors and monarchs and swallotails flutter through the woods of Schwartzvalt. The young girl loved their freedom, their seemingly random aerial dance that was nevertheless purposeful, useful, directed. When she grew older, and her abilities began to manifest in a more tangible way, it was if her childhood fascination with butterflies had imprinted itself on her psyche somehow. Her almost unique floating ability, even the glittering blue butterfly wings she occasionally manifests...
And somehow, as she thinks back on memories of her powers, her headache intensifies.
Covering her face with her hand, Luise observes the door through splayed fingers, her voice quiet. After all, who is it that she is really speaking to? "Maybe it's because I'm early that I don't really know who you are," she says. "But... my father intended for me to find this place. He must have..."
As Luise thinks, she doesn't sense any sort of impatience or any real 'need' from the voice that speaks to her. The constant glow remains calm, the hum of the engine doesn't grow harsh..
"I do not disagree, I am pleased to see you, it was just.. Unexpected, as I had already made clear. I will try to explain the situation as best I can, then. You and I both wish for 'peace on earth'. Realizing the difficulty of being able to accomplish this on your own, I came into existance. I suppose I am here because I cannot accomplish this on my own either."
"I would not know for sure, I have never left this room since birth."
It's the use of that word, 'birth', that really catches Luise's attention. She knows she's alone here. Her five senses tell her that other from some unique machinery and a voice that could be, for all she knows, a recording, there's nobody here but Luise herself. And yet... there's a psychic 'pressure' in the air, for lack of a better term. Or at least, that's how Luise feels about the situation. The headache in particular is a headache she's had before. But who is she talking to, really? Who is The Flower?
But there's hostility. If anything, it IS a feeling of peace.
"You already know who I am... it's obvious that I am the Butterfly." Of course, these is the first time these words have actually left Luise's lips since this entire thing began. She is the 'Butterfly' of what could charitably be called legend. Not an ancient legend, but a very modern, very recent one. "But I don't know how you could know me. I don't remember you... I've never been here before in my life. I'm only here because I need to find my father... I need to know the truth about his disappearance!" She stares at the glowing engine in the middle of the room, and then directs her inquiry to the ceiling, desperate, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "Tell me! If you know me, then you must know him. Where is he? Why did my search for him lead me here?!"
"You are mistaken, you have been here before, but it was before my existance. I suppose that is irrelevant information though.. I know about you because my father gave me that information; that is essential for 'The Flower' I would think. I don't, however, know about this 'disappearance' you speak of. Meyrink visits this lab once every two months since the labs attack. I suppose if you wish to see him then stay here. It would be inevitable to run into him then."
The Flower's voice calm, consise. Gentle, but not exactly sympathetic.
He's alive.
The Dancing Butterfly doesn't bother to hold back the tears, or even dwell too much on what the Flower just told her beyond the fact that her father is alive, and well, and if she's patient she can see him. All of it -- the fight with Tiistai, her meeting with the unpleasant murderdroid Jaeger, her forays into the dark world of the NESTS Cartel -- finally seems to have been worth something, to have gotten her something other than vague hints, and directions, and could-have-beens. As the Chinese are wont to say about such situations, 'even a man of clay or wood would weep'.
For a moment, all is silent from Luise as she shuts her eyes tight and simply savors the moment. Eventually, however, she ducks her head and wipes her dark black sleeve across her face, drying her eyes. She has what she came for. She finally found out what she needs.
But...
"Flower..." she begins, having regained some of her composure. "...you must believe me when I say I don't have that memory. I can sense... something familiar about this place, but I can't see it. When was I here? I don't think I can wait for Father to arrive to get the answers I want... but maybe now that I know I can see him, I can ask some of the questions I've had to put aside on my journey here."
Almost as if reacting to the delight, and the relief of Luise, the plants and slightly wilted flowers steadily come to life. It's astoundingly subtle actually, but it actually happens. The glowing outlines, however, grow slightly more dull during the time of silence.
Naturally the voice responds when addressed. "You were very young, I cannot recall the exact date, since I did not exist yet. But I believe you, Butterfly, I have no reason not to. Our relationship is to be built on strength and trust. Despite having never truely 'met', it's that relationship that gives you that familiarity, and ultimately brought you back here." A brief pause. "I will try to answer your questions as best I can, but keep in mind that I can only talk about relevant things in any specific detail."
Like a pendulum, Luise's emotions continue to swing back and forth, from joy, to incredulity, to confusion, and back again. The blooming of the flowers is such a shock that she actually takes a step back and stumbles against one of the cords lying across the floor, catching herself at the last minute by throwing out a hand and placing it against the wall. Standing back up, she files it away as interesting but extraneous information at the moment. There's so much more that she needs to find out that's so much more important right now...
For a moment, her face is blank, and then the Dancing Butterfly can't help but laugh in spite of herself. "I've got so many things I want to know, I'm having trouble finding where to start..."
After a pause, she looks around, walking toward the 'door' shape and running her fingers along the butterfly signet on the door. "You're not a human being, are you? What, exactly, are you? How is it you have memories about my childhood, even though you weren't 'born' yet? I think before I ask anything else, I must know your secrets, Flower. If we are supposed to trust each other, as you say... you know much about me, but I know very little about you."
The feel of the 'door' is about as much as one can expect. The touch of steel. Though that section of the steel is exceptionally warm, suggesting that there's something behind it keeping the temperature up. The Flower doesn't have any particular response to Luise's stumbling, remaining quiet until she's addressed again.
"I'm about as human as you are," she replies, and there's actually a hint of amusement in the tone, though very small. "Your other questions.. Well the answers to some of those are in the locket of yours. With the butterfly insignia. You must not have opened it yet."
"But I must warn you, Butterfly, that you may not be ready for what you wish to know. I believe the saying goes, 'Ignorance is bliss'? You've arrived here with questions, that led to answers leading to even more complex questions. It is possible that locket, which is another answer, will lead to more still."
Luise's response to that statement is somehow instinctive, built-in: "No, ignorance is never bliss. How can true fulfillment ever come from not knowing?" That's what she's always believed. Making herself a master of many fields, learning all she could not just about dance and music but about astronomy, physics, the sciences. Becoming a well-rounded individual. Realizing her potential. Something her father always instilled in her as a child was a love of *knowing*, a belief that knowing is humanity's way of pushing back the darkness. Knowledge isn't truly power, but it is the way in which power can be achieved. True power is understanding.
The locket lays like a drop of mercury in Luise's upturned, open palm; she stares at it quietly. She's committed to knowing, now. She can't step back. Yet faced with the Rubicon she must cross, even the resolute Dancing Butterfly feels a small amount of hesitation. Not necessarily out of fear -- if she were truly, cripplingly afraid, she would never have made it this far -- but out of a sense of loss for the way things used to be. Crossing a border is like that. You're never the same and it's not certain you'll be a better person once you're done.
"I think... this is what Father would have wanted."
She opens the locket.
The locket is simple to open, though it opens vertically rather than horizontally. The bottom image is the image of Luise from the shoulders up. One she should surely recognize. She looks to be about ten years of age in it, smiling. At the very left corner in calligraphy is the letter 'L'
The image above it is another image of Luise from the shoulders up, or.. Rather someone that has similar facial features. She appears to be sixteen years of age, her hair similar color but much much shorter, and appears to be sleeping. At the very corner in calligraphy, the letter 'S'.
"You're probably right.." The Flower replies, and following a light hiss, the glow behind the wall grows more intense, the psychic energy, or perhaps aura grows increasingly thick in the air while steam comes spewing from the bottom of the 'doorway'. "Otherwise how else would you have gotten hold of the key of your past, and to our future. I am that girl in the upper photo. Your clone."
"Clone?" Realistically speaking the technology doesn't exist. Of course, there are rumors that some extremely powerful underground organizations have the ability to do this, but Luise isn't privy to the exclusive technologies of NESTS and Shadaloo, not even after her close look at them during the Thailand invasion... and this very journey itself. The concept is certainly simple enough; you grow a new being using the DNA of the old. But even animals, with their less complex neurological patterns, don't survive as clones, lasting only a few years in the case of the well-publicized cloned sheep. You would need to be...
...tremendously skilled in neurological science to make it work. With state of the art facilities that no modern university could afford. So few people on Earth fit that description. And the lab she saw in South America certainly suggests the best money can buy.
Closing her eyes somewhat against the invasion of steam -- and the sudden increase in the psychic power flowing through the room -- Luise tries her best to focus on the locket and not the special effects. "How is it... but it is, isn't it," she murmurs. "The experiments that the... that 'Jaeger' said father was trying to replicate. The body, elemental power, and the 'soul power'... are you part of that research?"
"I am, in a way. Papers elsewhere would refer to me as 'P Project'.." The Flower replies, as the steam continues to hiss. The 'doorway' then revolves smoothly, revealing behind it a pod of sorts. A pod lightly covered in weeds and plant vines over the glass cover. The figure inside, not much taller than five and a half feet, looks to be about twenty seven years of age, her eyes closed, in the exact position and expression of the photo.
"I am not fond of such a name, of course, I prefer the other that was given to me. 'Selma'. Yes, that is much more fitting, considering my purpose. I am his first successful replication. No, I am a vast improvement. My 'soul power', as you call it, abilities allow me to surpass the weaknesses of those before and after me."
"Which is odd.. I was told I cannot perform on my own. That itself is a weakness."
It's her. In almost every detail, Luise observes, to both her interest... and, inescapably, her horror. The same hair so blonde it's nearly silver, practically the same height. And, apparently... other similarities. The Dancing Butterfly briefly takes a few halting steps forward, then reaches out and puts her hand, palm-down, directly on the glass of Selma's 'pod'. For a while, she says nothing, simply drinking the situation in. Careful study is required before making commentary; empiricism is as important as intuition.
When she eventually speaks, it is in an almost breathless tone. "Are you saying this 'P Project' was an attempt to replicate... my powers?" She'd never thought of her abilities as 'soul power' before, though they certainly seemed different from the many and varied energies she had seen other fighters wield with ease. Images of the few others she has met that had a power that felt familiar or close to hers -- Alma, Tiistai, Momoko and Kensou -- flicker through her mind. "And you were the only success... but if that's true, why are you here, alone? In the middle of nowhere..."
Selma's rest seems to still go indisturbed. As Luise looks closer still, the steam, or white smoke, or whatever it is that's occupying the pod is making it almost impossible to see the woman from much lower than her shoulders. "Yes, you might even say that it was I that had taken the place of what would have been your fate if Father had not vanished from your life. Yes, that makes sense, I was created so that you could be free.."
"Or.. Perhaps you were considered a failure, and I was to become your accomplice to obtain perfection. That would make sense as well. I will need more time to think about it, but in the meantime, what do you mean in the middle of nowhere? We are in Brazil, are we not?"
The way Selma says that makes Luise wince, jerking away from the glass. The implications are severely unpleasant, on a number of levels. The idea that the girl in the glass case is not only a clone, but some sort of... experimental version of Luise, a toy for scientists to play with, is not a pleasant one at all. Luise herself would never allow it if she had a say... but if the other woman's story is true, these events all transpired well before the Dancing Butterfly was old enough to be aware. "That..." There's a pause, then Luise shakes her head. "That can't be true! Father would never do that to a living being... to you, or to me." That's the terrible part of the equation, isn't it? That if it weren't being done to Selma, it would have been done to Luise... Detlev's own daughter.
The question, however, leaves Luise puzzled more than anything else. She's been through so many countries lately that everything is a bit of a whirlwind... but she's certain she's not in Brazil. "No, we're not. This is..." She pauses, looking back out of the door, mentally retracting her steps up the ladder, out the door, up the path. "A valley in Honduras. I don't know the exact way. I was driven in blindfolded."
"I see."
"That is strange, I do not recall having ever left Brazil. I suppose it does not matter in the end." The Flower at first seems to have completely ignored the disbelief at Luise. The womans eyelids raise, shimmering, green eyes behind them that do not stare at anything in particular, but dead ahead. "As for him.. Are you certain of that? It has been a long time, after all. Time can change any person. But seeing as I am here, instead of 'there', perhaps there is an inkling of truth in your claim. It doesn't matter to me either way, I hold no ill will toward you."
The vines along the glass twitch and begin to bloom. Buds sprout from them, and tighten, causing the clear case to crack, and then eventually shatter, the harmless steam within spews from the pod immedietly after.
"I suppose I have some catching up to do, and then we can get to work, Luise. Do you have any other questions before I depart?"
"Depart?!" There's no hiding the surprise in that voice. Perhaps she's been on this journey for some time, but... this is a relatively short meeting by comparison. The idea that Selma is to leave, go off and do something that is still confusing and out of the Dancing Butterfly's reach, smacks her in the face like a forceful slap. "That's it? You're just going to... leave now that we've met?"
There's a moment while Luise folds her hands in front of her mouth, exhaling slowly, trying to bring some stability back to her turbulent emotions. There's a lot to think about in this confusion, now. "If we're not where you thought we were, then... then I might not be able to meet Father after all," she suddenly says, sounding... if not despondent, then at least troubled at the sudden potential reversal of her hopes. "What is this 'work' we need to 'get' to? Selma..." There's a pause, and then Luise gives her 'sister' a measured look. "You have to understand. This is all... everything I've ever known about my father and even part of my life has been shattered, in a mere week. I don't have the knowledge you do... I want answers I don't even know the questions to."
Selma's brows raise slightly, looking in Luise's direction, but her eyes still seem to be in the process of adjusting. Luckily there isn't blinding light within. As the steam starts to settle and she steps out of the pod, she looks to her hands for a moment, and wriggles her fingers. "I wouldn't be entirely sure of that. While we are not in Brazil, I do know that Father has been keeping his routine. I was last checked four weeks ago, you see. If you really need wish to meet him, your time is limited.."
Selma blinks her eyes a few times, and it seems her gaze is finally more focused, looking directly into Luise's eyes. And a small smile forms on her lips. "Please do not be upset with me, I have no intention of abandoning you. We have plenty of time to have your questions answered to the best of my ability. I do not plan to depart for another hour at least, once I am certain the outside world will commend to my needs. Even then... We can talk to one another with our minds, once you adjust to it. Our 'work', is something you already know."
"As I said before, we wish to see peace and unification on this tiny planet. I do not share your desire to meet father until last."
Is that her dream? There's a faint glimmer in the bottom of Luise's dark blue gaze that suggests she isn't as sure as Selma appears to be. Peace on earth? Yes... the Dancing Butterfly has always felt that martial arts, competition, and the like were paths to performance and physical harmony and perfection. A part of her actually feels that learning martial arts would lead to peace. But Luise is much more concerned about people reaching their fullest potential than she is about harmony. In fact, the farther she digs into what she believes -- or at least, what she assumes is 'her' belief -- the more she comes to find that unification has nothing to do with it.
Almost unbidden, she takes a step back from Selma.
"How do you know..." There's a pause, and then this question becomes more insistent. It's important to her, all of a sudden... she recognizes what a clone of herself wandering into the world means. "Why is that *our* work? Father... he never said anything of the sort to me. We were a family!" There's a moment while Luise considers this, and thinks to her now bedridden mother, a woman drove to the brink of insanity by the loss of her husband. "I want to understand... I want to be part of this legacy I'm supposed to have, but none of this makes sense. Where do you get this... sense of purpose?"
And suddenly, the need to speak to Detlev herself grows hotter and brighter in Luise's breast.
The step back at this point is noticed by Selma. Her gaze briefly drops down to Luise's attire, and then observes her own for a moment. But she mainly focuses on the gloves on her hands. With a moment of concentration, the edges of the gloves become a slightly darker green. "That is an unusual question. It should be obvious why I know.."
".. There's no reason Father would have told you, because they are -your- thoughts. It is our work because we cannot do it alone. But.. I do see that at some point your path strayed.. Perhaps devolved, along the way.. You really did arrive here too soon."
Selma closes her eyes, and shakes her head slowly. "You have not yet reached your fullest potential."
"No..." It's weak at first, but then stronger. No. She's wrong. Selma is wrong, and that break disturbs Luise more than anything she's encountered so far. "I don't have a 'destiny'. That process of devolution you're talking about is my life! My experiences. Things that are mine alone..." And suddenly Luise feels very sad for Selma, this poor girl trapped underground, rarely visited, mostly forgotten. She never had the benefit of the loving family Luise believes she had, or the many experiences and people she's been able to meet.
And suddenly she's shaking her head and extending a hand to her near-twin, fear and anxiety becoming compassion, perhaps even a bit of pity. "Even if they were my thoughts once, they're not anymore. There's such a wonderful world to show you! Something you were denied all this time. Father will agree with me, I'm sure... we can see him together. He'll explain it to you."
"I suppose it all depends on how you look at it, Luise. If you don't look at it from a signifigant standpoint, you realize that you are always destined to achieve something, even if you forget it. For my thoughts to no longer be your own.... Dear Luise, that is not a mistake of mine, but a mistake of your own. Yes, it's starting to become a little more clear about myself, little by little. I already know that the world outside is wonderful. The problem is that too much of it, a vast majority of it is not wonderful. To my understanding, we will get rid of all that is not wonderful."
Selma's expression then grows slightly more grave. "No, I am afraid that can not happen. The reason why I encourage you to find him on your own is because..."
"Father is not a part of Peace on Earth."
That statement catches Luise off guard, her hand jerking back involuntarily. Selma, her 'sister'... despite their physical similarities, their tones of voice, even their psychic wavelengths resonating, the clone suddenly seems a million miles away from Luise at the moment. The gap between their beliefs, evident in just a few lines exchanged, yawns between them like an uncrossable chasm. Something is very wrong here. The logic that Selma is saying... how far is it from the logic of any conquering madman, perhaps... and that she is so obsessed with her 'mission' that she's willing even to -- perhaps happy to -- destroy her own father.
But there has been too much shock, too much pain here today... and suddenly, Luise reaches into a core of resolve deep inside. She has seen so much beauty in the world, so much joy, but she could never be its arbiter of survival. People need to be free to decide their own destinies.
"I won't pretend that I have great illusions about Father," Luise says quietly, but with an intensity in her dark blue gaze. "I've seen too much. I know he's done things I might not be proud of... hid things from me I wouldn't have approved of. But even if he is the most terrible individual, he's still part of the world." She makes to move past Selma, to leave this place... she's suddenly filled with the need to see the blue sky, to breathe fresh air, even if it is the humid atmosphere of the jungle.
The clone doesn't make any effort to get in the way of Luise, but her eyes follow the others movements, while she stands in place, done with her figiting. "I understand.. I am not particularly proud of what I have said. But I know he would want what is best for us. And I feel a bit of regret saying something.. To you, that would cause distress. I assure you, that if you had come here at the time that was expected, you would feel exactly the way I do, even if your path did stray. You view things currently in a very complex manner, my own way of thinking is very simplified."
"That said, I agree. It would perhaps be best for you to get a breath of fresh air, and take in all that you've learned so far. I will not be leaving here for another fifty minutes."
Something's terribly wrong with this situation. That's all Luise can think. Something's not right, something's taken a wrong turn. The need for fresh air and breathing space is as much metaphorical as it is literal at this point, and Luise turns in the mouth of the tunnel to look back at her sister. "I have to disagree. Though I guess... this disagreement is the root of our 'problem', isn't it. I will... see you soon, 'sister'." It's the first time she's used that word, but problems notwithstanding, it's appropriate. They're connected by a bond, Luise can feel it.
And then she is gone, heading for the outdoors, getting away from the epicenter of her problems. Curiously, she doesn't take the flashlight... but has no trouble finding her way back.
Log created on 23:52:40 08/26/2007 by Luise, and last modified on 16:05:13 09/30/2007.