The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Four (Draft 3) "Allies"

Laudanum giggled.

Morpheus shoved at his brother's arm.

Laudanum lifted a hand to rub his arm. "I understand. You're 'he' except those few times you're not, and now you prefer male form though you may manifest otherwise."

As if to prove a point, Morpheus willed himself to shift to his most female form. She was then female inside and out; a little smaller, face and body a little less angular, hair black and eyes midnight-blue, but still Morpheus.

"This is new," said River.

"She does this sometimes," Laudanum told him.

"Master of forms." Morpheus tipped sideways and lay her head upon Laudanum's shoulder. "I do not dislike this one. But, the empathic instinct to shift to the form that makes others comfortable can be a drag."

River's small body shook with laughter, though he barely made a sound.

"I can only imagine," Laudanum said, "I was born this way, but I barely use the parts I have."

"You just like to cuddle." Morpheus lifted her right hand to the crook of Laudanum's arm.

Morpheus sensed presences just as she heard the knock on the door frame. Absinthe and Mother were both there, but Absinthe entered without waiting for invitation and came right to the bed.

"Laudy! I thought we were supposed to be cheering him up."

Laudanum gave a start, accidentally bumping Morpheus in the wing. "Sin, I—" He coughed, having dislodged a cloud of sleep from the black feathers.

"I'm fine," Morpheus said, "Really. We had a brotherly talk. Now, I'm trying this."

"...Never answered my first question." Laudanum's head nodded heavily.

"Just in time for a visit from Auntie." Absinthe pushed Laudanum's drowsy body aside to sit near Morpheus.

"That is so funny to me right now," Morpheus deadpanned.

Mother walked to the foot of the bed and crouched near Morpheus. Her smile was tight. "Murph. You didn't tell me Jibril let you have a soul."

"Let. It was worded as a gifted opportunity, but it was already arranged, like maybe it was a strongly recommended assignment." Morpheus glanced to River, still on her knee. "Not that I wasn't honored."

"I was offered a chance I accepted, same as you."

Morpheus smiled. "Thanks, River. This is my mother. Her name's Opium."

River made a bow with one clawed hand touched to the paler green scales along his underside. "I'm sensing a pattern."

"Humans name the drugs after us." Morpheus sighed. "It's not that we endorse them, though it is fair to say there is something like an affinity."

"I'm sure your grandfather has faith the opportunity will benefit you both." Mother looked down towards River.

Morpheus wasn't sure how good an idea it was to let Mother catch the gaze of someone whose past life had been veiled by a dose of Lethe water. "Opium, should I mention that I discovered a boy on my way to see Jibril? His name is Daniel Never."

Mother lifted her eyes to Morpheus. "Daniel, huh? I bet he's happy about that one." Her tone indicated the opposite were true.

Morpheus shrugged. "He seemed to expect him, but Grandfather's a Prince of the Hashmallim, he must view time even more clearly than I can."

Mother made a gesture for Absinthe to move, and as her sister moved she took her place at the edge of the futon. She reached to Morpheus to touch her hair. "The important thing is you're feeling better."