While they didn't speak, it felt like volumes were passing between them. Hands held, the glorious temple around seemed tiny compared to all the thoughts that cascaded down on him. This game was crazy. There was no two ways about it. Totally, 100% insane. They had fought a jabberwocky, an evil cake, a glitch world, and through it all had survived and... Grown it seemed.
As they waded in the water to reach the exit and the orb, BoiisonFIYAH saw a vision of himself. Older, different, still as scary, but just as nice to his friends. Oddly, still beside him was Teddy. Their hands clasped. An old parable came to mine, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts". They made a great team. While they could stand alone, Boi felt that with him anything was possible. Instead of confusion or fright he felt warmed and... great.
The dream disappeared and they had reached the end of the temple. Their clothes had changed and so, Boi felt, had they. He might not be the best Zues messenger in the world, and his parents might still think he's worthless, but Boi had learned a lot about himself.
teddy's ring: It was wavy, with brilliant blues among the silver, and something engraved into the inner banding. 'let's meet again int he next life'
alex's ring: It was a burned orange color mixed with gold. the Band was woven and in the center were two teal/white feathers that made a laurel effect. There was a shield on top of the feather.
Alex was very small. Everything else was so very very large. Only on his tippy nails could he see the top of the tables. Everyone was bustling around, too busy and too enamoured with his other sibling to bother with him. Lonely, Alexis walked or flapped his way here and there. The house was busy, but empty. Endless rooms with nothing to be seen. Alexis was... So lonely.
Suddenly he was bigger. Older. Stronger. He was bolder too, exploring the world, and trying to understand where he fit in. Mother and Father were still busy, too busy to spend time. Only when there was a problem was Alexis called down. Mother did not like him. She thought he was worthless. Any task was failed. Father was neutral. He did not care.
Alexis was sitting on a chair, lonely and tired. Father was so angry. Mother was angry too. "You're a worthless son. Get out of our home. Never come back. Go to that school and get some life. You're no Zephyr and you'll never be one."
And still he was lonely.
A dream. A good dream.
Memories of the bad nightmare slid away. Boi, no, Alexis was sitting at the table. At the head sat Mother and Father. They both smiled at him warmly, an expression so foreign and welcomed he wanted to cry. Father was holding mother's hand over the table, and their interlaced fingers met halfway.
"We've been talking a lot. Alex, I know that this sort of life doesn't fit you as well..." Father started, but stopped when Mother gently squeezed his hand.
"You're lonely here, honey. And because you are, you are not meeting your potential. We know you can be absolutely amazing, Alex. So we, your father and I, have decided to enroll you in Amityville Academy. That way you can learn what you are best at."
Confusion and happiness slammed together at the same time. He began to cry, from relief, from happiness, from confusion... He wasn't sure. But they felt so good, those tears.
"You will always be our son, you are always welcome here... We love you."
Alex stood and left the table. As he turned away, he faced a group of people. Absolute strangers fro the look of it, but he knew them... They looked so different, but he knew that these were the friends he had made without their wonderland glammour. Ulka stood out from the group and that just made him even happier. Stronger. He could feel the weight of the wedding ring on his ring finger.
No longer alone, no longer lonely, but proud and confident, he joined hands with Ulka and his other friends, and he walked away.
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