My First Birthday (part II)
Makkari was here. But that wasn’t possible, was it? They were gone. They were all gone.
Sprite still stood frozen as Makkari kept crying while slightly swaying. Her brain was still processing that the person hugging her was indeed the same person she said goodbye to a year ago and not some kind of… illusion.
She looked over at Ben who seemed just as surprised as she was. Regaining his senses sooner than Sprite, Ben walked closer and tried to pry the clinging Makkari from the teenage girl. Makkari seemed insistent to prove to herself that Sprite was real and not a figment of her imagination.
Although she must have felt Sprite stiffening and stepped back.
Sprite had to do a double-take as she saw Druig step through the door.
This was real. They were back. Ben seemed to have come to the same conclusion as he forgot about taking Makkari away from Sprite and instead went to Druig. Sprite knew without having to hear them that Ben was asking about Phastos. He wanted to know where his husband was. And honestly so did Sprite.
But Makkari was crying in front of her. More importantly, Makkari was in front of her. Overcoming her shock, Sprite pulled her into another hug. This time more heartfelt on her side. She cried as the speedster brushed her hands through her now long hair.
When they let go of one another Makkari signed ‘You look… older.’
She knew she should be happy after finally finding a member of her family. And yet…
They had missed a year. A whole year on Sprite’s now mortal life. They were lucky in a way because it could have been way more than just one year. It could have been decades. They could have come back and found Sprite-
-dead.
Sprite could see the pain in Makkari’s face and grabbed hold of the hand that was still combing her hair. “It’s been a while.”
Their little discussion was interrupted by Ben’s outburst. “What do you mean my husband is still gone?!”
Sprite quickly went to his side. After the whole pain of losing both their family, she learned that they easily found comfort in each other’s presence. Druig gave her a nod and Sprite would have tackled him in a hug if she wasn’t so worried about why Phastos wasn’t with them.
“Makkari, Thena, and I left in the Domo. We’ve been told by a fellow eternal that our friends here were taken. And we assumed that meant you too, Sprite.” He turned towards her, a silent apology in his eyes “This eternal, Eros, have helped us in the search for the others. But we have found nothing yet. We returned here to search for clues or even in the slightest hope that they’ve been returned.”
Sprite led them all to the dining room so that they could sit down. Luckily, Jack was quick to go to school, so he didn’t need to face all this. She didn’t want to give him false hope. But she knew he would want the truth.
Realizing there were only two Eternals in their dining room, Sprite asked. “Where’s Thena?”
Druig answered her. “She’s in the Domo with our Eternal ‘friend’ ”
Knowing that wasn’t the only reason, she turned to Makkari.
‘Mahd Wy’ry.’
So, they didn’t think Thena would be safe around Phastos’s human family. Human. They didn’t trust Thena around her as well. In some way that broke her heart.
“I want to see Thena.” Sprite stood from her chair.
Druig sighed, preferring that his lovely Makkari had not told the truth. Sprite, on the other hand, was intelligent and not a child. No, not at all. She would have realized that she was now a human at some point. That meant that being near the goddess of war wasn't as safe as it once was.
“That’s not a good idea Sprite.” He told her.
“I want to see Thena.”
“Yeah? Well, Thena doesn’t want to see you.” He snapped. Quickly regretting it.
Makkari came to his rescue as she explained. ‘Thena doesn’t want to hurt you. She’ll never forgive herself if she did. She misses you very much.’
Very much hurting, Sprite spoke up once more. “I know that... I just want to see her. I won’t even go near her if she doesn’t want me to. But I need to know she’s really here.”
She hadn’t seen the Domo in a long while and its shimmering green view warmed her heart. Makkari had somehow convinced Druig so that she could see Thena. So here they were.
Sprite’s nervousness turned into self-consciousness as she fixed her school uniform. Druig’s words kept ringing in her head.
“I know you’re going to want to help Thena. But, on the first sight of danger or when Makkari tells you to, I want you to run. I don’t care if you’re scared shitless that you freeze up. I want you to move your legs and get the hell out. Understand?”
She had said she would, and Druig had let her go. He was staying back with Ben, having things he wanted to talk about. It was probably also because Makkari had to transport them both if he were to come with them.
Speaking of Makkari, she was patiently waiting for Sprite a few steps ahead.
Nodding to her, they both entered the Domo.
Sprite's face was flushed with concern when they saw Thena. The blonde woman was in a battle-ready stance, holding her cosmic spear in one hand. Makkari appeared to share her concern until Thena turned to face them, her eyes clear.
“Makkari, did you find anything?” Sprite noted that once she realized it was Makkari, Thena immediately put away her weapon.
Covered by Makkari’s figure she knew Thena couldn’t quite see her. So she stepped aside.
Having no time to change into anything else, Sprite looked like a normal human teenager. She knew her face had aged too. She saw it in how Thena’s eyes seemed suspicious before it turned into realization and-
“Sprite...”
“Hi, Thena.” Sprite dug her feet into the ground, wanting to go to her but remembering her promise to Druig. Instead, she watched and waited for Thena to make the first move. The woman appeared so on edge it was unnatural to see. She was terrified and Sprite knew. Even worse, she knew the cause of that fear. It was her fault, and because of that she really couldn’t do much.
Except...
Thena gasped as a younger, much more familiar Sprite walked around the room. The illusion took notice of Thena and pranced towards her. Gleaming eyes of mischief looked up at her and a ghostly hand made a grab at her wrist only to pass through it. The image flickered and disappeared.
The older, real Sprite staggered and extended a hand to steady herself. Then, unable to sit back, Thena rushed to her aid. She didn't realize she was too close to the now-human Sprite until it was too late. She pulled away.
“Wait!” She paused as Sprite held her wrist. Loosely enough that she could slip away if she wanted to. But she didn’t.
“I can go if I make you that uncomfortable. But- But can I at least get a hug before I go?”
Thena pondered the girl – No. little sister – in front of her and wondered why in the whole universe would she ignore this chance. She would be careful yes. But she would never waste any second of Sprite’s life by evading her and causing her pain.
One day Sprite would die.
That was the hard horrible truth. But until then, the Goddess of War swore she would treasure every second.
Sprite had expected a rejection, so she was truly happy when Thena enveloped her in a hug.
“Oh, and who’s this little lady?” A new voice asked.
The new Eternal ‘friend’ that Druig had talked about.
She broke away from Thena. “I’m Sprite. I-“
Looking genuinely curious, and unknowing of personal boundaries, Eros had wrapped Sprite into a hug. Thena, unfortunately seeing this as a threat, wrenched Eros away from Sprite in one mighty swing. If Eros hadn’t let go, Sprite would’ve gone tumbling to the other side of the wall with him. That definitely put him on her good side.
He seemed alright as he groaned, stood up, and put his hands up in surrender in front of him.
“Alright, no touching the little lady. Got it.”
Everything would be fine. Eventually.