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

Four (Draft 3) "Allies"

"I am."

"I realize we're not the most normal." Mother moved her hand across the space between them. "I never had a baby to hold like Humans do. When they told me Angelic offspring are educated by mentors, I let you go."

"Mom."

"You know we are here for you, your father and I, should you need us...for any reason at all."

Morpheus laughed, recognizing the last as a quote. "I need you," she said, "but sometimes it's easier to talk to someone else. I know you'll hear everything, eventually, whether I tell you or not."

Mother smiled. "Fair enough. I've left mice watching my mirrors, so I'll leave you to talk."

"So, what are we really talking about?" Absinthe asked as soon as Mother had left.

Morpheus glanced to Laudanum, asleep on the futon. She lifted River from her knee and placed him gently atop the comics. Morpheus reclined near Absinthe then.

"There's something I haven't told Maya or Laudanum, yet."

"Is it secret?" Absinthe asked, "I don't know how well I keep those."

"Use your discretion," Morpheus said, knowing full well Absinthe had little.

Absinthe wagged her feathery brows.

"Julien."

"Your Vampyre gentleman."

"Don't know if I'd say that, but, he seemed to hint that my body had changed by his time."

Absinthe rolled her eyes upward, as if expecting an answer from above. "Your body changes several times a day."

"Sin! Sin. My native form that returns when I don't consciously hold any other. He was careful, and I tried only to take the thoughts I needed, but I think I changed—will change."

Absinthe wrinkled her nose. "What? Like puberty? Laudy and I had that. Not fun. Afterward is OK, though."

Morpheus drew herself up to sit straight then released the focus that had been keeping her female form, and shifted instead to the body he would have in the future. Here, Morpheus decided he didn't need his shirt, because it showed his tattoo better, but he kept a pair of black leggings and his boots.

Absinthe took a moment to look and then she grinned at him.

"Don't say—"

She showed her palms in surrender. "I won't. You know we love our winged daimon in black, but some sharpness and definition looks good on you."

"I do kinda love it!" Morpheus confessed. This form just felt good.

"Murph, why have you been extra glum lately, scrying hopelessly, if you knew this? If you know there's a hopeful future?"

Morpheus sighed. "The amount of regret and sorrow Julien expressed: I got the impression that this doesn't happen for some time. I must go back to the Empty World and meet him, again. Even then, it sounded like we knew each other without being together, or at least not in a close or exclusive way."

"Listen, Boss, you need to find your own interests in the meantime."

"River." Morpheus scooped his small partner away from the comic books. "I'm not your boss. But, it seems good advice. Jibril said nearly the same thing."

"He's your grandfather and he sees more. Maybe he understands that you're missing your gay Vampyre boyfriend from the future, but maybe you're a little...well...not lacking self-esteem, but feeling self-conscious about how it will be you end up together?"

Morpheus blinked to clear tears that welled in his eyes. "Yes!" He looked to Absinthe and then back to River. "Julien was so perfectly understanding and accepting of everything that it was almost scary. And at the same time, so absolutely apologetic that I knew he hadn't always been so with me. And I think: somehow, for some reason, I put myself through that..."

"River and Jibril are right," Absinthe said, laying a warm hand to his bare shoulder. "Whatever happens with Julien is only one part of your life. There must be other things you do meanwhile. You will not be alone. Like Opium said, we're all here for you. We'll probably have whole adventures Julien doesn't even know about."

Morpheus flopped back on his bed, landing half atop Laudanum, who coughed and stirred beneath him. "It feels better to—" Morpheus felt Laudanum's arm wrap around his neck.

"You must train beside me for war, Little Brother!" Laudanum attempted a Doric accent.

Morpheus managed a rasp, "You're the furthest thing from warrior."

"True." Laudanum's headlock shifted to a mere companionable embrace.

Morpheus pushed himself up. "River?" He sought for his partner amid the folds of the tousled bedclothes.

"Here." River sat safe atop a Robotech VHS tape. "I knew he was playing."

Morpheus smiled. "I'm sure you would have defended me, if not."

"He'll have a chance." Mother spoke even before Morpheus was aware of her presence.

Morpheus looked up to see his mother again in the doorway.

"I just got word from Jibril. You're to come with me, Murph."

"Where?"

"New York."

"The Empty World?"

"Yes. Jibril's decided." Her head bowed slightly. "Since we took action on Joy's behalf, we bear a certain responsibility for what comes of that."

"I hear her name so often," said Morpheus.

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Image media (top) is an oekaki sketch of Morpheus by the author.

Audio/video media (top) is "All Cats are Grey" by The Cure.

mid-chapter image is an edited detail from Boy Bitten By a Lizard by Caravaggio, circa 1595, original painting in the public domain.