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✦ ENTRY NO. ???
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[ᥱrr᥆r ᥙᥒᥲbᥣᥱ t᥆ ρr᥆ᥴᥱ᥉᥉ rᥱqᥙᥱ᥉t...]
✩ ◛ .⋆
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𓆩⟡𓆪
╰┈➤ 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚, my consciousness began to stir, pulling me out of the depths of my slumber. My senses were muffled, and my mind felt like a haze, as if I were floating between dream and reality.
As my senses sharpened, I gradually became aware of my body. There was a sensation of softness beneath me, like a cushioned surface that gently cradled me. Still, my eyelids felt heavy, as if they were reluctant to open fully.
Gentle mechanical hums surrounded me, resonating through the air. They were soothing, rhythmic sounds that seemed to emanate from all directions, cocooning me in a sense of security.
The air in the room carried a faint coolness, and a hint of sterile cleanliness.
"Vital signs detected, commencing calculations—Initiating diagnostics."
Because I was still waking up, the robotic voice seemed more distant than it actually was.
With a concerted effort, I finally managed to pry my eyes open, wincing against the bright lamp that overwhelmed my retinas. The intensity of the illumination was disorienting, and I squinted, trying to adjust my vision to the lighting around me.
Amidst the radiance, I discerned the figure of Svarog, his massive form looming over my figure. His single glowing eye regarded me with a sense of familiarity, and I sensed a reassurance in his presence.
As if in response to his command, a series of screens materialized in my field of vision, displaying an array of data. Graphs and numbers appeared across the screens, each one representing a different aspect of my well-being. My heart rate, respiration, brain activity—all were meticulously monitored and analyzed.
My body still felt leaden, as if I had just woken from a deep sleep, but I was able to move my limbs, albeit with a certain degree of effort. It was as if I had been submerged in a state of stasis, and now, I was slowly being brought back to life.
"Vital signs stable. No anomalies detected," Svarog announced, his tone a clinical precision.
I attempted to speak finally, my voice coming out as a hoarse whisper.
"Svarog?"
The towering figure shifted slightly, his eye fixing on me.
"Welcome home, dear child. I am glad to see you back safe."
I nodded weakly, my throat dry and scratchy. The realization that I was back in the lab, in the presence of Svarog, filled me with feelings of comfort.
Yet when the memories of what happened while in the past flooded back, there was a sense of something akin to disappointment. Similar to how you'd feel after coming home from a vacation.
As Svarog continued to run its diagnostics, I allowed my gaze to wander around the lab, catching all the latest experiments the robot had been working on. I even saw a little drawing Clara had made for him sitting on his desk.
So cute.
"Dear child, restoration procedure confirmed successful," Svarog's voice announced, his words punctuating the end of its analysis.
I shifted on the bed, pushing myself into a sitting position, my body still feeling slightly unsteady. My gaze met Svarog's eye, and I offered him a faint, weary smile.
"Thank you, Svarog—for everything."
"There is no need for gratitude. You did well during your time leap, I will be putting your experience in my data banks later," he turned around to shut down a few machines behind me.
"Um, so Svarog, do you know where my mother and Clara are?"
"I have called upon your arrival back. They will be here shortly. Calculating approximate time of arrival—5 minutes," the robotic man responded immediately, not at all phased.
I shifted on the bed, my muscles protesting slightly at the movement. As I waited for my mother and Clara, I took in the lab around me once more. Familiar equipment and experiments lined the shelves, each one a tribute to Svarog's tireless pursuit of knowledge and progress.
My gaze landed on a holographic display of the time anomaly, showing a complex set of equations and simulations. It was a something far behind my understanding, an intricate web of thoughts and calculations that churned ceaselessly in the robots intellect.
The minutes ticked by, and I continued to watch the display, lost in thought. The sensation of having returned from a different time and place, back to here, was almost surreal.
"Svarog, are you able to tell me...what happened while I was away?" I finally asked, as a way to distract my brain.
The robotic man turned back to face me, his eye gleaming as he processed my query.
"Several experiments were conducted, data was collected, and analyses were performed. Your absence was duly noted, but life in the lab continued without interruption."
"Ah that's good...but I was referring more so to my mother and Clara. Were they okay while I was gone?"
As if on cue, the lab doors slid open, revealing an older woman and younger, much smaller, figure standing in the doorway. Relief washed over me at the sight of them, and I pushed myself up from the bed, a smile breaking across my lips.
"Mom, Clara!" I stumbled to reach them, barely just picking myself back up as I fell into my mother's arms.
"Oh, my dear, you're back! It's—it's been far too long, my goodness," her voices sounded as it it were on the verge of tears, only hugging me tighter as the seconds passed.
Clara's face lit up with a grin as she joined the embrace, her small arms wrapping around us both.
"I missed you so much, big sister!"
Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes as I held them close. The feeling of their presence, their warmth, was a stark contrast to the sterile environment of the lab. In that moment, I felt grounded again, connected to the world I had left behind.
"Please honey, never do something like this again," my mom finally said after a moment of silence, "I never knew how much I relied on having you around until you were gone...I don't know what I would've done if you stayed any longer."
I held her tighter, my own tears mingling with hers. The weight of her words sank in, and I realized that my actions had impacted her far more than I had anticipated. I had thought that my journey to the past was a personal endeavor—but now, in my mother's embrace, I saw how my absence had torn a hole in her life.
"I'm sorry, Mom," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I didn't mean to worry you like that. I just... I needed to find answers."
She pulled back slightly to look into my eyes, her gaze filled with a mixture of relief and concern.
"I'm sorry too dear...I realized that I've been far too hard on you."
My throat tightened as I nodded, a knot of guilt forming within me. My mother, who had worked tirelessly day and night to provide for us, was crying because of my selfish decision.
As Clara squeezed my hand, her eyes wide with worry, I knew that she had been affected too. My little sister had felt the void left by me, and I had a responsibility to be there for her as well.
"I've realized something too, Mom," I began hesitantly, wiping away my tears with the back of my hand. "This trip, it helped me understand what I want in life."
My mother's brows furrowed,"And what is that, hon?"
I took a deep breath, steadying myself for the confession that was long overdue. I wasn't sure how she would react to this, but I knew I needed to tell her no matter what.
"I've spent so much time locked away in my room, studying and striving for a 'good future.' But I've neglected to live for myself, to do things that truly make me happy. I want to follow my passions, even if I don't know exactly what they are yet. I want to live a life where I can find enjoyment and fulfillment, not just go through the motions for the sake of some distant goal."
I stopped, looking toward the floor. "Because...no one knows that the future will hold. Of course I'm not going to throw everything away but—can't I...just enjoy the moment?"
My mother's expression softened, her gaze glistening with understanding, much to my surprise. Her eyes eased shut, lips lifting into a soft genuine sweet smile—something I hadn't seen from her in a long time. "
"You're right. Life is meant to be lived, not just endured. And as your mother, I should have been there to guide you through it, instead of pushing you so hard to become something for my sake," she paused, looking back at up, "I just didn't want you to end up like me."
Droplets of water welled up in my eyes once again, this time for a different reason. I saw the deep regret in my mother's eyes, at the realization that she had unintentionally contributed to my problems.
We had both been carrying burdens that needed to be shared, and now it felt like a lifelong weight had finally lifted from our chests.
"Mom, I want to spend more time with you. I want to do the things we used to do when I was a child—watch movies, read books, paint flowers—just simply be together. I've grown so accustomed to being by myself, that I forgot how much I hate being alone!"
Her eyes glistened with tears as well, and she nodded profusely before pulling me into another tight embrace.
"I want that too. I want to be there for you, to be the mother you deserve—starting today, no more weekend overtime, and I'll start taking more time out of my day for you guys."
Clara joined in the hug again, completing our circle of love. In that moment, there was a sense of unity that I had never experienced before. We had shared our vulnerabilities, our desires, and our regrets. We were healing, growing, and forging a bond that was stronger than ever.
It was the best feeling of relief I had ever experienced.
As the three of us held each other, I cast a glance at Svarog, who stood as a silent observer. His eye bore a flicker of understanding, a recognition of the significance of this reunion. In his own unique way, he seemed to be deeply moved as well.
"Thank you, Svarog," I whispered, my appreciation extending beyond words.
Instead of denying my gratitude, he instead inclined his head slightly, a silent assurance that he was there to ensure our well-being,
As we pulled away from the embrace, my mother brushed a strand of hair from my face,
"Now how about we go home and I cook you some of your favorite dishes?"
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╰┈➤ UNEDITED ✦
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Svarog's Data Log
"— Log / █ █ / █ █ / █ █ █ █ AF"
"Clara has resumed regular behavior upon return of her older sister. Recently it came to my attention she was hiding a hint dejection in her demeanor. She always acts excited when see comes to visit me in labs, however I catch expressions of longing when things are quiet. I will run further tests on this in the future."
"As for the older sister, thanks to her successful trip to ██ - █ █ - █ ███ , I have been able to create a better understanding of the time anomaly. Her vital signs appear stable for the time being. I will continue to watch over her until further updates.
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