//------------------------------// // Chapter XVII - Talking to Sophie // Story: A Changeling's Christmas Catastrophe // by AizakkuHorooee //------------------------------// I wake up to a major deja vu, mostly from me and Carve being the only two in the room.  Currently, within in the wake of my regain in consciousness, I have a craze fueling headache, not to mention grueling abdominal pain. “Finally!” I briefly droop my ears to muffle the sound of Carve’s shock, but the next thing I know, I am well in her embrace. “I’m so glad you’re back again!” “Wait a minute.  You shared love with me again?!?  What w-” “I-I had to, Carina.  It was the only way to save-” “Ugh... Sorry, Carve.  I’m feeling a bit confused after waking up somewhere different than where I fell asleep.” “I imagine so. You had quite the ralphing fit before you went out cold.” “I did what?!?  I don’t remember doing that!!  All I remember was talking to you and suddenly, I was fast asleep... and I somehow ended up here with somebody who’s changed into their Pro-Thorax alter ego.” Having progressively moved upward to see Carve, I instantly feel the pain coming to me.  I flop back onto my pillow through the back of my head, moaning along the way. “Yep... that somebody being me,” Carve remarks. “How’s Aita?” “Haven’t seen him since he went home with Sophie when you recovered the last time.” “Okay.  At that rate, he should still be with Sophie, Tim and Roman.” “So, do you want to talk to them?” “Yeah.” “Okay, Carina.  I’ll be a few minutes.  I’ll see if Jon can contact them.” “Thanks.” ;=; With Carina now awake, and taking up the offer I made her to check up on Aita, I take my cue and head for the bathroom slightly off route to turn back to my comfortable Pro-Chrysalis self. “NEVER again!  I just can’t feel my abs now.” I finally arrive at the waiting to see Jon. “Finally!  Is she awake yet?!?” “Yes.  She is, but she’s experiencing some slight mood swings, headache and audio-sensitivity.” “Probably from what happened yesterday I presume, because it sounds an awful lot like a hangover.  So did Chrysalis tell you why Carina felt the way she did?” “Well, yes.  But you won’t like it.” “Go on.” “She replicated the time she was vocally at her worst.  And it was at a time when you were scared about losing her.  That fear was what caused her to toss the love I shared with her the first time around.” “Ah.  Well, I could see why that happened then.” “Carina was a bit curious about Aita.  I know he should be with your friends, but Carina wanted to make sure.” “Oh.  You want me call them, huh?” “Well, yeah.” “That won’t be a problem.” ;=; When Jon taps the same sequence of spots from the other day, he immediately gives it to me to levitate.  As I wait for an answer, I trot back to Carina’s room, arriving as I do get an answer. Hello? “Hi.” Carve?  Is that you? “Yes.  Sophie, right?” Yes.  Is Carina with you? “I just got back to her room at the vet.” Alright.  Can I talk to her? “Okay.  Carina, it’s for you.” Carina overtakes my levitation and pulls the phone towards her. “Sophie?” Hi, Carina.  I heard what happened to you. “You did?” Yeah.  Tim saw Jon’s car headed past our house.  I figured you’d be at the vet again, which your friend here just confirmed. “I apparently had made a move similar to Carve when she had her first ride, which I assume must’ve been a lot rougher than mine.” You have no idea, Carina. So, you got carsick? I reapproach the phone. “Oh, she was sick, but she was home when it happened.” Carina pushes me back to the side of the room I was previously on through levitation. “Sorry, So-” No need to apologize, Carina.  It cleared a couple of things up at least. Carina starts to hold her slightly bloated abdomen, likely feeling like a bee stung her in the weakest point possible.  Where else may any nymph be so ticklish? “Well, my headache went away.  But obviously not the abdominal pain.” So now you’re saying you ha- “Noooo... Sophie, I never have any of that, and that’s because Jon never had it within the time he found me.” But didn’t you just say you had a hangover? “So that’s what I had is called.” Sophie sighs. Naive Carina. “Anyway, do you have to go soon?” No. Not at the moment. “Okay.  How’s Aita?” Oh, he’s doing fine.  He’s had a bit of fun with Soulsilver.  Oh, and Planet Puzzle League. “Good... as long as he’s doing great at the moment, that’ll be half the weight off my shoulders.  I expect that the other half will be lifted by tonight... the egg.” So, who do you think should watch Aita tonight? “I don’t know.  Tim maybe. He is the youngest of the human side of the family.” True that. “But I think he’s seen situations similar to what will happen tonight, so that’s why I said I don’t know.” You seen him watch that kind of stuff before?!? “No, but I do know it’s bound to happen in a world strongly connected to itself.” Heh, you have a point there.  Maybe we could let Aita decide for himself.  He is seven and a half. Thirty minutes should suffice. “Actually, I said tonight, so it might happen while he’s asleep.  Maybe if he goes to bed before you leave, you could stick around until the egg gets released.” Okay.  I’ll see if he can get to bed before sunset.  I’ll see you at 5, okay? “Okay.  Bye.” Bye. The four hundred and forty hertz sine wave pops up again, causing me to droop my ears to muffle the sound some. “Thanks for having me talk to her, Carve.” “No problem.” Carina gives me the phone to levitate through her own, and so I take the phone with me back to the waiting room, where Jon is.