EoU Ch. 7 -The Promises we Forget

>The world opened up
>Many have died, and many more were born.
>Towns have risen, starting first from the bountiful valley that you settled in all those centuries ago.  They spread outwards, criss-crossing on simple dirt roads.
>Cities followed.  Then castles.  You encouraged their own style of architecture and were impressed by how often they found original solutions to age-old problems.
>They needed a light, guiding touch from time-to-time, but they have learned to help themselves.  You could not always be around.  But your presence was still very-well known and respected.
>The name that Way Maker gave you proved remarkably resilient throughout the ages.  The Builder, the Designer, the Architect.  The strange thing that said he came from the skies and known to be a friend to all.  There was another name that you weren't too comfortable with, but that wasn't thrown around too much.  So far you've managed to avoid an overly complex list of titles and designations.  But you still let a few slip threw.  It seemed to make Astra happy.
>Astra.  She had grown, both in body and in mind.  Aside from her hair -a blue colder than ice weaved with golds brighter than the morning sun she looked the mirror image of her mother, so much so that you still made double-takes on occassion.  She stood tall with full wings under a grand crown made by her people.  Her features were carved from the same stone of pride and elegance.  Her voice could be soft, or stern.  You weren't surprised, however -she was born to rule.
>Her mother would be so proud.
>Eris had likewise gotten bigger.  She was easily twice your length by now, composed of hard, lean muscle, scales, and fur.  Her horns were long, curving and polished, sitting on top of a wild mane of shock-white hair that tumbled down to her shoulders.  Her muzzle filled out more, notably with very sharp teeth.  She loved flashing them, especially when she was about to do something you wouldn't entirely approve of.  Her head was also adorned with a crown.  Her length was also lined with jewelry and decorations that sparkled widly, almost haphazardly.  She made it work for her, however.
>They were both called 'Princess.'


>And they were throwing you a birthday party.
>They tried to explain their train of thought that lead them to picking this particular day to celebrate your birthday, but it made no sense at all to you.  Truth be told, it very well may be this day.  The thought of having a birthday, much less celebrating it, was mind-numbingly redundant and terminally depressing.  You've discarded any notion of ever knowing how truly ancient you were.  But if your children wanted an excuse to have a celebration, then you'd be more than happy to allow it.  Now you just wonder how many candles the girls are planning to put on the cake.
>The thought of having something as simple as a birthday party never before crossed the mind of the three of you.  Aglelessness was a fact of life, and the passing of time meant absolutely nothing until you took to living upon a breathable surface.  The ponies that sprung up on this new earth developed their own traditions and marked days of joy that Astra and Eris quickly took too.  In their youth they embraced festivals and marks of celebration as they grew around the world.  The interesting thing was that they remembered each and everyone of them.  They saw the slow process of simple exercises of necessity evolving into grand rituals of honor and remembrance.  They recalled stories  and told them through successive years.  And even their words grew and flowered into myths and legends.
>As odd as they were -the unconventionally formed and seemingly unaging children who could bestow wondrous miracles at the slightest whim become revered for something beyond that.  At first they did not realize it, but they were seen as keepers of history and truth.  They were asked for their wisdom that stemmed from their years and clarity of mind.  They were bestowed gifts and tribute for their grace and favor, and sometimes in fear of their power,  even if not entirely voiced as such.  The last bit worried you sometimes.  You did not want that to negatively color your children's view of the world around them, but they were right to fear them.  You knew their strength to be all to terrible, even if you did teach them the discipline to properly wield it.
>But all the same.  The seekers of advice and givers of gifts continued to grow.  The celebrations began to center around Astra and Eris.  They asked them to bless their children, their crops, their homes, and guide their dead safely to whatever place they headed towards after passing.  That one always cast them silent, but they whispered their agreements more often than not.
>But even though they were old, they were still young.  And you were still their father.  The ponies came to them,  and they came to you.  As powerful and unwordly as they were, they still approached you with doubts in their eyes, seeking advice, comfort, wisdom, or the simple affection of a parent, which you were all too willing to give.  Astra wanted to know the right things to say.  Eris wondered why they were asking things at all.  Under your guiding hand, they slowly grew into the roles of queens and leaders along with the grand towers and spires of their kingdom.  One had a touch more enthusiasm than the other.
>And the queens of the world  wanted to throw daddy a birthday party.  Eris ambushed you in one of the grand hallways of their castle.  She wore her crown with an odd swagger and air of indifference.  Completely different from Astra of course, but that was a given.  She grinned toothily and said she really hoped all the invitations were sent to the right places.
>You asked Eris just exactly how old she thought you were.  She snorted and said 'Old as balls, Dad.  Older than all the balls in the world.'  The annoying part was that she was entirely right.  You WERE balls-old.  You were wordless for a moment as the truth of that statement nudged you in the ribs as she laughed and took off down the hallway, followed by a few guards and orderlies.  She kept an odd entourage.  The kind that could look her in the eyes and keep their wits up should she decide to sharpen her own.
>You kept no such following.  No aids, no familiars, or guards.  You had decided quite some time ago to keep your presence as minimal as possible.  There were significant gaps in the calendar where you were never seen.  You were still there, of course, walking through arches and high-standing doorways.  Through walls and over rooftops.  Studying, watching, listening.  Light was an easy thing to play with.  Simply bend it this way or that, and you could fool someone into thinking nothing was there.  With more effort you could make them see something else entirely.
>You once spent fifteen years pretending to be a tree. That was interesting.  You stood still and loosened your grip on time and saw the sun blaze across the sky faster than you could blink.   Days came and went.  Mornings speared overhead and fall below the world into night.  The forest ebbed away as a village creeped in and turned into a large town.  Life came and flourished on the streets, it was like watching a trickle of water thrush out and cascade into a river.  The faces were too many and too blurrred to ever become attatched to anything.  One day you decided you had enough.  You let the light loose and allowed yourself to -relax- and simply walked away.  You were a pretty large tree.  You imagined your sudden dissappearance was probably a cause for some measure of conversation, but you never dwelled on the thought too long.  You do recall how you strolled back into the castle with an air more casual than what would be appropriate.
>The castle's attendants and officials tripped over all of their legs and then some in a mad rush to ensure your comfort and commerate your return.  To -honor- you:  The Architect.  The One-Called-Father.  You gave a measure of indulgence, as uncomfortable the thought made you.
>And now your thoughts turn towards the night.  Astra applied a small measure of influence over the skies.  The morning was gold and fire.  The afternoon air was water and diamonds in its clarity.  Eris twirled her fingers and the clouds swirled in elaborate shapes, large and complex -nearly impossible.  There were children all over the city trying to conform the wild designs onto something resembling an animal or sane shape.  The evening came.  It was clear, cool and simple.
>They didn't want it to distract from the fireworks.  Not that they were specifically for you.  They may have compromised on their ideal date for your birthday.  The girls were aware of your desire for discretion, and timed it with a local holiday.  There was music, dancing, parades and fireworks, which Eris took pointed interest in.  You walked through crowded streets, allowing yourself to be jostled thoroughly and unnoticed completely.  The cheering was manifold, coming from all directions and people of all ages.  There were a thousand different foods to smell.  You stopped for a moment and closed your eyes, and simply felt and heard the nonsensical exchange of friction, body heat, sweat, and intangible excitement that could not be measured by any sense no matter how heightened.  There was just a tingle that jumped up every vertebrae along your spine and into a small pocket of your brain that told you that the world was undoubtedly alive.  You mouth turned into a smile, the simplest assurance that you needed.
>The sky overhead  bloomed with heat and color, mirroring the chain reactions that occured on the ground, even though very few people noticed.
>Astra played her role with gusto.  She graced the streets with her presence.  Wholly regal.  She spoke -Wholly enraptured.  Eris had always been content to allow her sister to tend to the frillier affairs, although this evening  she found it appropriate to let a little flair loose and feed her own healthy sense of vanity.  They contrasted like oil and water on their observation dallies -Astra posed, Eris lounged.  They smiled and talked in turn to passerbys, joked quietly to their attendants and gave knowing glances and split-second winks to each other, like kids getting away with throwing paper airplanes across classrooms.
>You stole onto an empty space of wall and leaned against it, as unnoticable as a speck of dust on a fly.   Your sight tipped over the heads of ponies and dancers and floats and up towards the giants they hoped to appease.  They had a rare expression of ease and unmarred joy on their face.  They needed nights like these.  Nights of energy and sound that they could simply experience.  A moment to let something happen to them instead of them happening to everything else.  You didn't object to nights like these either.  It was like watching clouds pass by -fleeting, but nonetheless treasured and enjoyable.
>It warmed you to see them sitting together and smiling.  There had been a few difficulties as they grew, and their personalities become more...exerting.  Astra was very, very much like her mother.  Completely self-confident, strong-willed, intelligent, -incredilby stubborn in other words.  Eris was...not like Him.  Most definitely not like Him.  But she had her own streaks.  Creative, but temprous, harboring a wit that struck like a greased cobra, and prone to impulsiveness.
>They've had their fair share of spats.  It actually made you feel better knowing they had each other to scratch against now and again.  Helped relieve their stress and nothing was closer than two angry cats in a bag.  Besides, things never got too intense between them.  They were smarter than that.  One would blow their smoke and puff somewhere far away before things became to hot.  Go find a rock somewhere way, way, way out there and do whatever they wanted to it.   It was one of the few things you gave them express permission to show no reserves against. But it has been happening with more frequency than you'd prefer lately.
>When it came down to it, you would much rather have them prefer the company of each other than merely tolerate it.  You were willing to allow rough patches.  Astra did lose one of her older aids recently.  A most favored one.  She grieved as visibly as would be appropriate, but you knew she was more angry than sad.
>She never did fully cope with rampant mortality.  It was one of the few things that set her eyes with genuine flame.  She would turn hard, and her gaze would pierce.  Eris would even cut back noticeably on the jabs.  They would alternately yell, or talk quietly with each other, depending.  This was a yelling cycle.
>But tonight there was only smiles to be had.  Such an unfiltered crush of life was good for the two of them.  This was truly a night of celebration.
>But all celebrations come to a close.  The food stands were packed up.  Magic winds swept along the streets and picked up the refuse.  The parade floats were dismantled and tucked away. The crowds, most of it at least, headed home to rest.  Of course there were a few late night stragglers and revelers who hung onto street corners and listened to the slow, but still enjoyable plucking of instruments that whispered throughout the city-scape.
>You made your way back into the castle.  No longer trying to hide.  There were those in the castle trained not to stare, or try to fuss around you.  'If he needs help or wants anything, he'll ask for it, otherwise leave him be, direct orders from the princess, yes -both of them.'  It was nice.  You weren't exactly a ghost.  If you wanted to whittle the evening away chatting with a guard, you could, and if you simply wanted to stare out of a window for a month nobody would say anything.  Someone might come along and brush the dust off your head, but that only happened twice.
>It was either late or very early when you walked onto the smallish balcony that overlooked the castle and the city.  The moon cast its light on the world.  You looked up at it and recalled the days you and the girls lived on its surface in a little hole in the ground as the world you walked upon was pulling itself together with rain and magma.  You spied the general area where your old home was.  You haven't been there in quite a while.  Maybe you should check up on it, for old times sake.
>Astra's horn glowed and confetti popped over your head and rained onto your shoulders. Eris pulled a party blower out of the air and buzzed it once.
“You're late to your own party, Pops.  Must be older than you'd thought.”
“Eris.”
“I'm just saying.  Surprised he remembered how to make it up here.”
>Astra cleared her throat and tried to look at the sky nonchalantly.
“Your pace was rather leisurely.”
>Eris nodded.
>Astra sitting was on a large pouf, and Eris coiled around a bench.  There was a simple chair set out for you.  The table was minimalist, white cloth, a little gold trim and little else.  You hugged the girls before taking a seat.  Astra's wings beat happil while Eris groaned as you mussed her already wild hair before she pushed you away, trying not to laugh.  You sit down.  There are a few candles set on the table and on unassuming stands, providing light and little else, and even then it was overshadowed by the glowing band's of Astra's mane.
>”Must've been real late then.”  You gesture to the empty table, “You went ahead and ate all the cake without me.”  Astra rolled her eyes.
“We were simply storing it away to keep it fresh.”
>Eris snapped her fingers.  A small hail of sparks fell in curves and twirls down onto the center of the table, burning away at nothing and allowing a two-layered cake to bloom in front of you, along with plates, forks, and a cutting knife.  Eris grinned.
“We made it ourselves.  Icing and everything.  Only burned down two rooms pulling it off.”
>You hold up a hand.  “So you made it from scratch...or you made it from *scratch?”  Astra opened her wings in pride and touched a hoof to her chest.
“We prepared it the same way everyone else bakes a cake.  Using eggs, milk, flour, and  sugar.”
>Eris leaned over towards you and put a paw up to your ear:
“She cheated on the icing.  See the red twirly buds on the top?  Used magic to shape those.”
>Astra hissed.
“It was in the oven for three entire minutes before you stamped your foot and said it was done.”
“Well it was done.”
“You made it done.”
>”And I'm sure the both of you made it taste just fine.  If nothing else this is the best looking birthday cake I can ever remember getting.”  Fur and scales sleeked themselves out and an etheric mane glimmered a little brighter.  That appeased them.  Eris stared at the cake and poked Astra with her tail.
“Hmm?  Oh, yes!  The candles.”
>Her horn lit up.
>A small forest of candles planted itself on the top of the cake.  As well as the sides.  It was now a wax ball with an edible cake center.  Astra beamed.  Eris then snapped her finger and set the whole thing on fire.  It was now a flaming wax ball with an edible cake center.  Eris looked uncomfortably amused.
“We sorta eyeballed it for ya.  Since you don't know how old you are, being senile and everything.  We still love you, though.”
“Yes, very much.”
>They looked at you expectantly.  You looked at the cake, wondering how the tablecloth hasn't been set aflame yet.  Astra coughed politely.
“You have to blow the candles out now, Father.”
>”All of them?  We might be here until morning.”
“I told you, we should've just got that '8' and lay it on the side.  Would've matched with that thing on your butt.”
>The fur along Asra's neck raised up just a mite and the outline of her infinity symbol glowed in agitation.  Eris was always just a little jealous that she never recieved any special mark of her own.
>You covered your mouth as you laughed into it with as much diplomacy as you could. ”I'm not that old.”  Astra shifted her weight a little bit.  “But this is as good a guess as any.”  With some effort and time you managed to blow out all of the candles on the cake before all the wax ran down and formed a permanent airtight seal.
>All of the candles were carefully removed, leaving behind a heavily dotted mound of icing.  “Let's just use one candle next year.”    An invisible hand guided the knife and cut the cake into even slices.  A small ballet of plates whirled towards the three of you.  You picked off a few specks of wax taking refuge on your slice.  You ready a fork.
“Did you make a wish?”
“You better have made a wish.”
>They looked at you with an intense gravity that told you they were going to throw you against the wall if you answered incorrectly.  Happily enough, you actually did.  You stick the fork into the cake with a clear concience.  “This isn't the first birthday party I've been too.  I know how it works, of course I made a wish.”  Eris spun a paw around impatiently.
“And it was...?”
>”Can't tell.”
“Why not?”
>”It won't come true if I say.”  You take a mouthful of cake, chewing deliberately to dodge any further interrogation.  Astra sighed and swayed back on her pouf.
“He's being obtuse again.”
“He's not invited to his party next year.”
“We shall throw a grand party.”
“And he's gonna miss it.”
“It shall have jesters and confetti and balloons-”
>Eris slammed a fist on the table.
“DAMMIT!”
>Astra's jolted back and tensed her shoulders.
“I FORGOT THE BALLOONS!”
“Forgot the balloons?”
>Astra's eyes turned into saucers and her neck did its best impression of a startled owl, looking for floating orbs of rubber that wasn't there.  Her nostrils quivered like it was trying to send out a message in morse code.  Eris's claws started to knead at the edge of the tablecloth and her long, scaly tail twitched and scraped against the balcony's floor.  There were many places this could go and none of them good.  “Not every party needs balloons, don't worry.  And this is more of a get-together anyway,” you hardly have time to take another bite of cake before it becomes clear that was an incredibly stupid thing to say.
“You don't think this is a real party?  We said we'd throw him a party, this isn't a party, we messed up.”
“What else did we do wrong?  Is the cake too dry?”
>Eris gored a chunk of cake and shoved a fork in astra's face.
“WHY DO YOU SUCK SO MUCH AT BAKING?  THIS SHIT'S LIKE A ROCK, HE'S GONNA CHOKE ON IT!”
>Astra flicked the fork out of her claw and over the balcony.
“YOU'RE THE ONE WHO ONLY LET IT SIT IN AN OVEN FOR THREE MINUTES!”
“AND IT WAS OBVIOUSLY THREE MINUTES TOO LONG!”
>The balcony begins to shake.  You hold onto your plate to keep it from falling off the table.
“Wait, wait, I can fix this, Let me fix this.”
“No, you're just gonna make it worse!  Or boring!”
>Astra's horn turned golden.  Eris snapped her fingers in quick succession.  The cake started to bubble and grow inside like some sugary plant, multiplying in size and layers. The lines of icing turned more intricate and complex, weaving all over the top in recursive grids and curves.  A red balloon floated out from under the table.  It began to bud.  Tumerous bulbs of blues and yellows ebbed off and floated away, making back-shivering noises as they rubbed together and spiraled off into more elongated and twisting shapes.
>The expanding cake soon overtook the table, growing out roots made of right angles into the air.   The balloons looped and intertwined with each other, forming a dome over the balcony.  You decided to intervene before the floor turned to cake and the air was nothing but rubber and helium.  With a measured flick of your hand and a practiced flick of your finger, Eris and Astra were immediately struggling with the challenge of having huge chunks of cake in their mouth.  A horn shorted out.  A few sparks flew out of a claw.
>The air lit up with lightning and the floor shook once more.  Your ears popped as silence encapsulated everything.
>The cake stuttered back into something resembling its original shape.  The balloons jerked and fed back into a handful of perfectly normal balloons.
>They bounced against each other and floated off into space.  Deep space.
>You looked around the balcony, and noticed how it was sorrounded by stars and celestial conglomerations of light and clouds on all sides.  You took another bite of cake as it tried to float away from the plate.  Astra and Eris choked down the sudden invasion of food.  You watched as the balloons circled away to nebulae of emerald star dust, far from the solitary rotating platform you found yourself on.  The roar of magnetic fields and background radiation thrummed into specially trained ears.
>”Lovely view, at least,” you said as they coughed their mouths clear and tried to shake the look of surprised cats from their faces.  They both turned red and stayed quiet for almost an entire moment.  Astra was the first to speak.
“That was an overreaction.  We, erm, have tried our best to ensure this is a good night.  It seems we've lost sight of things.”
“Maybe we tried to plan this all out a little too hard.  Heh.”
>You look at the two of them, sitting nervously against the backdrop blue star points that burned away inside circular expanses of cosmic cloud who's merest feathery whisps could contain a million million planets.  Eris scratched the back of her head.  ”Gentle touches, remember.  Anything more than that and” you gesture towards space in general “you go crazy.”  You took another bite and take a moment to consider the fact that this is your life.  “But you're not doing  bad so far.  I'm actually having fun.”
>Vestiges of smiles sneak on their lips.  “And the cake is not dry.   Not too spongy.  Firm.   What's that fruit layer in there?  It's good.”  You of course knew what fruit it was, where it came from, and exactly how many days it was growing before it was plucked off the vine by two girls who's standards were exacting, if esoteric at times.  They also knew that you would know, but it still made them feel appreciated.
“Thank-you father. We picked them from the gardens.”
“Washed the bugs off ourselves and everything.  I wanted to keep them in, add some spice to the flavor, yeah? But Astra started getting hissy.  Said they weren't part of the recipe at any rate.”
>Astra threw a crumb at Eris who snapped it in mid-air.  She looked at you apologetically.
“I did not get 'hissy.'
>Eris mouthed 'she so did' silently.
“And there were only a few bugs.” She poked the desert absentmindedly.  “Quality control was very important.  We went through eighty eggs. I didn't like the look of some of the shells.  The curvature was off on many of them.  I may need to inspect the chickens soon.”
>Eris rolled her eyes.  ”Please don't mess with the chickens.  They can make eggs perfectly well on their own.”
“Yes Father.  I just wonder if-”
“He said not to poke around bird butts, Astra.”
“Of course.  Forgive me.”  She looked at the clouds, seemingly noticing them for the first time.  “Oh, how lovely.”
>Eris sat up at her full height and clapped her hands.
“We got you some presents!  I get to give mine first.”
>She flicks a forked tongue at Astra as she slid a box from an infinite pocket of space. It was huge, and wrapped in every color and pattern imaginable and some that were unimaginable.  The thing was covered in enough bows that you think she was trying to keep something from escaping it.  Astra bit her lips at the sight of the garish gift.  The draconequus pushed the box towards you, her wings flapping and eyes bright as sunflowers.
>You heft the box and are surpised at its lightness.   You work at the bows and ties like a locksmith untangling a ball of yarn.  Its bonds fall away and you peel away at the wrapping and tape, tugging and tearing -only to find another layer of clumped wrapping.  You make it through that layer.  And another.  And another.  You look at Eris.  She looks back.  She's grows more and more excited and bubbly as you grow closer to the core.  Even Astra finds herself enraptured.
>By now the box is not even a tenth of its original size, easily fitting into the palm of your hand.  You pull away a layer and find a note that says 'last one, I promise.'  The paper is removed and all that's left is a nondescript box.  You open it.  Inside is a thickish disc.  Held up to the light you can see it's made of hundreds and hundreds of small cirlces, spirals, and curves.  Bright reds and yellows set against something that looks like mahogany.  It glows softly against the omnidirectional sky.  Eris turns slightly tentative.
“I made it myself.  Set it on the table.”
>You do so.  She points a claw towards the disc.
“Now, touch that gold bit right there -no, not that one, yeah, yeah, that's it.”
>You touch it.  The patterns of twirls and circles turned out not to be patterns at all, but an intricate assembly of moving parts.  The crimsons and yellows slid and winded all across itself in a hypnotizing ballet.  They began to make sounds.  It was lovely  -something almost like a stringed instrument being played by breezes.  You watched while the box changed shape slightly, shrinking and expanding while its parts danced, yet still retained its overall form.
>The box slowed down.  The music faded.  You picked it up and examined it closely.  “This is...I love it!”  The craftmanship was incredible.  “You made it all by hand?”
>She nodded.  You set it down on the table again and press it.  The box jerks and jitters.  The lights stutter in bizzare patterns.  The air is filled with the noise of birds scratching against a chalkboard.  Astra covers her ears as Eris laughs happily.  You simply stare at it.  The sound halts after a thankfully brief time.  Eris covers her mouth as she catches her breath.
“It makes a different sound every time you play it!  You'll never hear the same thing twice -ever.”
>Astra grimaces.
“So I'll never be exposed to that cocaphony again?”
“Nope.”
“But there might be something worse...?”
“Maybe.  I can't say. That's why it's so great!”
>”Well, I still love it.”  Eris bubbles.  You spin it around in your hands again.  You never  had much appreciation for music boxes, but this blew all the others out of the water.  “Excellent work.”  You set it down, minded not to activate it once more.  Astra straightened up and her mane began to billow.  She was getting ready to show off.
“My gift my not be quite as...showy, Father, but I believe it will be equally as memorable.”
>Her eyes glowed slightly and her gift materialized on the table.  It wasn't wrapped, or set in a box, but instead stood on the table by a thin rod.  She smiled proudly.
“Go ahead, pick it up.”
>You grasp the rod and examined her gift.  It didn't take long to realize it was a model of your home solar system, carved seemingly from polished alabaster.  There was the sun, glowing as if the inside was lit by some soft candle, the planets, all of their moons, and the asteroid belts, all interconnected by seemingly invisible threads.  They  rotated at differing speeds, but you knew they matched their full-scale counterparts to the atomic letter.  You looked even more closely at the planets and saw the stone take on even more subtle patterns.  Clouds and trails of atmospheric vapor circled all the worlds, moving almost like water.  The homeworld caught your eye.  On it were tiny, accurate-if-simple representations of you, Astra, and Eris.
“It will never stop moving.”
>”Hmm?”  You broke out of your trance.  The detail on the model went down to the microscopic level.  Her voice became low, but soft.
“It will never slow down, or speed up.  It is perfectly constant in every way.  And nothing can damage it.  It is proofed from corrosion, friction, impact, heat, water -anything.  It will spin and spin forever and ever.  Unchanging.”
>Her eyes glazed over slightly as she began to whisper.  The infinity symbol hummed steadily.
“Only the solar system itself is more accurate than this model.  You won't find anything else more perfect.”
>You eyed the model.  It made no sound as it spun.
“Forever and ever,” she whispered.
“Lame.”
>Astra broke from her reverie.
“Excuse me?”
>Eris lounged back in her seat.
“You give him some filly's school project and think it's the hottest thing just because does the same thing and will never run out of juice doing it?”  she scoffs.
“This 'school project' is practically indestrucable.  Do you know what this means if we can apply it to-”
>Eris snapped a finger.
>The model turned into a stone frog hopping across the table.  It jumped only twice before Astra exploded.  Her eyes turned white and her wings sliced through the air as they spread aggressively.
“What did you do?”
“Made it better.  At least kids might think its fun now.”
“Do you have any idea how much effort went into that?”  she growled.
“Far too much?”  she rested an arm on her elbow and didn't blink.
“Are you honestly playing this game right now?”
“I'm just saying, you seem awfully high-and-mighty with you-”
“I HAVE A DUTY TO PERFORM.  JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE TO PREOCCUPIED WITH AMUSEMENTS TO-”
“TO ACTUALLY MAKE HIM SOMETHING HE'D LIKE?”
“AT LEAST THIS IS PRACTICAL.  DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO WITH THIS?  MUCH MORE THAN WITH A SCREAMING BOX.”
>”ERIS.  ASTRA.”  The air pops as magical discharge begins to ebb away.  The  two of them were arced over the table, eyes glowing, and appendages sparking with rapidly glowing energy.  They stare at you and rapidly deflate themselves.  They look away from each other, and try their hardest to avoid your gaze.
>”You're smarter than this.  I refuse to indulge the two of you this way.  You both were doing just fine this evening.  You both gave me a reason to come here.  Do not give me a reason to leave.”  They winced under your firm tone.  Their wings were pulled in close and their eyes turned downcast.
“My apologies.”
“Sorry.  Sorry, my bad.”
>”Eris.”  She looked at you guiltily, and stared the frog with a mixture of frustration and guilt.  She waved a finger and it popped back into its former shape and resumed its orbits. Presumably forever, barring any further interference.
“Practically indestrucable.”  she muttered.  “Practically.”
>Her ears were flattened against her head.  Astra looked at her sister.  Eris's jaw tensed a moment before she spoke:
“I'm sorry.  It's cool.  And yeah, I can see how it can be useful for...stuff.”
>She crossed her arm and pulled them close to her chest.  It was Astra's turn to speak.
“Your music box is...it has much worth.  It is incredibly enthralling.  May I?”
>Eris nodded.  Astra levitated the box to her.  Eris likewise picked up the solar model.  You watched them close as their eyes ran all over each other's creations -entirely intrested, yet their thoughts were miles and miles away from what was in their graps.  Shades of doubt, embarrasment, and an edge of aggravation painted their faces.
“Father, I must-
“Dad, listen-”
>They looked at each other, shooked their heads and sighed.
“Sorry.”
“Sorry.”
“We simply...simply wanted to give you something.  It stil needs work, I know this, I just -I” she stopped and took a moment to take a breath, “I just want you to know that I'm trying.”
“I wanted to just give you something you'd like.  I know you don't actually -have- a lot.”
>You laughed, despite yourself.  The things these two said.  You ran a hand over the side of your face.  “All that I need is sitting right here in front of me.  And I know that you're trying -the both of you.  Don't you ever think -for an instant- that you're not doing enough.  That's just not how the two of you work.”
>You twirl a piece of ribbon in your hands.  “Maybe you do a little too much sometimes.”  You toss the string aside.  “Look.  The two of you have had a lot of growing up to do, and you've been doing well.”
>Astra and Eris looked at the stars.  You gaze at them as well.
>”We still need some work though.  Clearly.”  They shrink again.  “Should've brought some milk to wash down the cake.”
>They look at each other.  “Please don't try to make anything to drink.”  They laughed nervously, pretending that you couldn't see their claws twitching, or hear the pre-emptive buzzing of horns.  They ease back a little, and you slowly work them into talking to each other with full sentences again.
>With disaster averted, the night goes on, and the incident is soon forgotten and replaced with laughter and dreamy-eyed reminiscing.  Astra kept track of the time and with a roll of her eyes placed the balcony back in its proper position before those at the castle became too worried.  You hugged them both, told them it was the best birthday you've ever had, even if you couldn't remember all of them.  They left for their own quarters, mentally exhausted.
>You stayed for a while on the balcony.  A guard was stationed out of obligation by the archway leading inside, but he remained totally silent.  You didn't move.  You just breathed and blinked, watching the moon and measured the twinkling of stars.
>They haven't gotten quite that anxious before.  You knew they could grow tense.  You had an inkling as too why.  Their time on the planet was nothing but a blink when compared to the time they lived among the stars.  There were just so many emotions and impulses that have been compressed into this relatively brief expanse of time.  They were becoming overwhelmed.  They had their own ways of dealing with it, but you could tell it was chipping away at Astra badly.
>You felt the wind pass over you.  She was made of steel, but steel can break.  You picked up the still spinning model of moons and planets.  You gave it serious consideration.  You tapped at it, and let the small spheres graze beneath your fingertips, refusing to yield to you.  It impressed you.  It worried you.  You set it gingerly onto the table and graps the music box.
>Its patterns lead your eyes all along its contours and endless edges.  There was no rhyme or reason to the placement of spirals, but worked exactly as its crafter intended.  You knew what it was, but it was still an unknowable, and unpredictable thing.  You applied gentle pressure to it.  It was built solidly, and it would last for a very long time, but it could still be broken.  It wouldn't last forever.
>You set both gifts side by side.  You were filled with pride by your daughters and their capabilities.  They wanted to do their best for you, to further your goals and please you.  But what could you do for them?  You raised them as best you could, answered their questions, and gave them a home.
>But doubts still chewed away in their hearts and minds.  It wasn't their fault.  The were in a world not built to their scale, nothing was -but they needed to learn and cope.  If only there was something you could do to lift the burden from their shoulders.
>The stars glowed overhead.  There was in fact something you could do.  One thing you could do to provide a way to soothe their minds without doubt.  It would require some effort on your part.  You would have to leave.  Not for a terribly long time, but longer than you've ever been away from them.
>You weigh your options as the sun creeped up and over the world.  Perhaps a period of absence would be good for them.  With you out of sight for a time, they may feel less pressured.  Maybe breathe a little easier.  They would have time to find themselves without wondering what you would have to say.  They -were- smart.  And it wasn't as though you were the only person they talked to.  They needed to learn how to value the words of others.  They did, of course, but you knew they took your words to be nigh-unbreakable law.  It was time they learned true respect for mortals.  To know that a lack of longevity does not equal a lack of wisdom.
>A sliver of worry wormed its way into your spine.  You tried to shake it off,  telling yourself that the benefits would outweigh the risks.
>But how big WERE the risks?
>The sun climbed up a little more.  It climbed down. The guard was relieved and replaced.  Up.  Down.  Up. You come to a decision.  The guard tried his best to stifle a yawn.  You stood up and walked through the archway.  You paused and turned towards the guard.  He was standing still all the while, but he nearly became a statue when your eyes met with his.
>“Say, do you know what they're serving for breakfast?”
“Breakfast?  M'lord -Sir!  I believe the chefs are preparing fruit medley, oatmeal, bread.  Pancakes.”
>”Oh, that sounds good.”  You haven't had pancakes in a while.
“Would the Architect care for anything specific?  I would be pleased to hand any orders to the head cook.”
>You waved dismissively.  “That won't be necessary.  I'll just dine with my children this morning.”
“Yes sir.  The Princesses will be most pleased to have the Architect's presence.”  It's been far too long since you've had breakfast with them.  They will know something is going on, but you'd like to have one more shot at a normal meal with them.
>You had some big news to break.
---------------
>You are Astra.  Daughter of the Architect and the Star at the Center of All, sister to Eris, one half of the Ever-Living Children.  She who Flies.  She who Knows.  She who Lives.  She who Rules.
>She who's father just ascended into the sky and beyond.  He had very little pomp and circumstance -as usual.  He announced his plans quietly, privately.  Just to you and Eris.  He said he had to go for a while.  There were rounds he needed to make, but as to why he would not exactly say.
>You pressed him despite knowing better.  Just like all those years ago.  You asked him to tell you everything.  He told you some.  He told you his goal -a universe without end, which immediately became your own.  He told you your own time would come, that for now you had to sit, and watch, learn, and live.
>And you have been living.  You've been doing exactly as he instructed.
>Eris laid herself out in the field the two of you were in and regarded the sky passively.  You tended to follow his words closer than she did.  Your wings fidgeted.  He would not tell you the exact reasons for his pilgrimage.  It was evidently something crucial, but he insisted it was checking on mere technicalities.  Nothing worth straining your own mind over.  But if it was worth it to him, then it was worth it to you.
>You wanted to help him.  More than anything else, you wanted to see the realization of his ambitions.  You know he valued your strength and capabilities.  But The denial of knowledge was  just another mark of his inability to fully regard your commitment and desire to be seen as an equal, even if you would never admit to the latter.
>He said little of your gift.  An indestructable construct, nearly immune from the effects of the universe and all but the most powerful of magics.  His intense eyes pondered over it and picked it apart.  He knew what it could be used for.  You knew what you wanted to use  it for.  At the end of the evening he set it down next to her gift, and little more was made of it.  Your pride took a hit, although you would never admit that either, not even to yourself.  You're not even certain as to what you were hoping for.
>Perhaps if Eris didn't feel the need to flaunt her feathers the night could have been more constructive.  Perhaps if you didn't lower yourself to playing her games he would have-
>You scold yourself.  Such thinking would not lead anywhere productive.  You've been under duress lately.  And you know Eris had her own troubles.  You needed to take a day for yourself, but there was far too much to attend to.  You hug yourselfwith your wings.
“Just sit down already.  He hasn't been gone for twenty minutes and you look like you're gonna keel over from anticipation.”
>You look at your sister.  She's splayed out over the grass, curving gently.  Her tail flicks idly at a few flowers.  You settle down next to her.
“So how long do you think he'll be gone?”
>”He said a while.  Sixty years?  Ninety if he takes his time.”  No time at all in your experience, but time had a strange way of compressing itself, or stretching itself out unbearably.  You felt rather uneasy.
“We're gonna party, right?  That's what kids do when their parents leave.  Just have to be sure to clean up before he gets back.”
>She snaps a claw.  Several bottles of the more common libations appear before you.   You scoff.  “We are not children.”  Your horn glows and the bottles melt away.  “There are obligations we have to fulfill.  Standards that must be met.”
>Eris flips over and groans.
“So we just keep the wheels turning.  Dull, but doable.  But what if we do a little more than that?”
>You raise your brow and your amber eyes shine a little brighter.  “Such as?”
“He's gone.  For a little while, at least.  Why don't we do something, shake things up a little bit?”
>Such a thought did not fail to cross your mind.  “Prove to him that we're capable of putting his teachings to use.  Putting our own plans in motions.”  Eris raised herself on her forearms and looked at you excitedly.
“Yeah, exactly.  Do a little redecorating, and I mean more than the castle.  Something dramatic.   Something that'll really knock his socks off when he gets back.”
>A trace of confusion crosses your face.  “How do you mean?”
“Well,” Eris pulled a blade of grass from the ground.  “Check out this piece of grass.  Looks like all these other pieces of grass.  Came from a different piece of grass, and that piece came from another piece of grass.  Nothing but the same ol' same ol' going all the way back.  I think -no, I KNOW, we can do a  little better than this.”
>Circles of magic fed up her talons and into the grass.  It began to bubble and twist, turning into a different color.  A shiver went up your spine and a gust of wind came by and blew the changing plant from her grasp.  It reverted back into its natural shape before floating to the ground again.
>”I don't believe he would be pleased by something so forceful.”
“Why not?  Make things just a little different.  Let's make something new.”
>You shake your head.  “This will require thought and deliberation.  We can't rush into this with our eyes closed.  Who knows what would happen.”  Eris pointed a claw at you.
“Exactly.  I think Dad would like a change of pace.  Why would he want to come back to something that he's seen a thousand-thousand times before?  He needs something to stay excited, interested!  Hell, I think you need it too.”
>”I am kept sufficiently interested holding this world together.  Father would not want to come back to some...parody of this home he built for us.  You're starting to speak nonsense.”  Her eyes narrowed and her jaw slid to the side by small degrees.
“What's wrong with a little nonsense?”
>She was going to be difficult again.  You try not to roll your eyes.  You did not wish to incur another fit of her curious erraticisms.  “He would not have left if he thought we would ruin this place before nightfall.”  You look upwards, scanning the sky to make sure he was not hiding behind some cloud, watching the two of you.  “There are some changes we can make.  Developments we can see through.  We simply need to be mindful.”  Eris flapped her wings, a black hand with dark webbing stretched between the fingers, and a full wing made of carefully arranged blue feathers.
“Please.  I have zero intention of messing this place up.  Breathe easy, sis.  We both want the same thing.”
>She laughed as she let the wind carry her off into the air.  She slid through the clouds like a line of red ink.  You nostrils widened momentarily as you huffed through them.  Fine.  She wouldn't make this easy, but that would not stop you.  Your father had his goals, and you had your own ideas to go about fulfilling them.  She would come around.  Eris had as much interest at stake in his plans as you.  She simply needed to apply herself.
>The fur on the back of your neck raised up and the aether of your mane pulled itself in close. In the distance you heard the rumblings of thunder, and found that you didn't recall any rain being foretold for the day.