Chapter 1083: Chapter 1083: Mother
"...You found me already?"
"I truly did not expect us to just sp.a.w.n right in front of her."
One would think that the most perplexed would be the woman who saw several people just appear right in front of her—but no. Hannah was the most shocked among everyone inside the library as she stared at Aerith"Ross"s face.
"We should approach with caution, we don"t know what-"
"Have you seen your sister, Aerith?"
And while Hannah, Nannah, and even Miss Pepondosovich were extremely cautious of Aerith"Ross, Riley just casually stepped forward and talked to her,
"We are trying to merge the original universe and the universe that Paige created to prevent your siblings from disappearing out of existence."
"I suppose you"re already at this part of the story," Aerith" Ross only glanced at Riley for a few seconds before returning to her book, "Jennifer was wrong - us getting stuck in time for 600 years and advancing is something that really happened. Everything is moving along as intended."
"...Who the f.u.c.k is Jennifer?" Hannah"s initial shock about the situation quickly faded away as she also stepped forward, "And you"re talking like you"re really from the future - let"s just all clear this out before we move on forward, are you really from the future?"
"Knowing would not change anything," Aerith" Ross finally closed her book as she stood up, causing both Hannah and Nannah to slightly put up their guard. As for Miss Pepondosovich, she just continued to scan the library, "And Jennifer is someone you know, Hannah - she is Paige Pearson."
"I"m seriously confused right now," Hannah squinted her eyes as she looked at Riley, "Do you know what she"s talking about?"
"We were told that Jennifer is the future version of Paige Pearson, Sister," Riley just casually answered, "And that the two could not exist at the same time of existence."
"...So, where"s Jennifer now?"
"Gone," Aerith"Ross closed her eyes and sighed, "The fabric of time itself is in confusion as to what is happening - when we separated after we were thrown 600 years into the future, Jennifer soon faded away as the Paige Pearson of this time has the right of existence; but I am not sad, as soon, it will be her turn to exist again."
"...I"m tired of all this confusing bulls.h.i.t," Hannah rolled her eyes and groaned, "Have you seen Rennalyn? I"m sure you know who that is."
"Yes," Aerith"Ross nodded without any hesitation.
"What!? Then, is she here!?"
"She was," Aerith"Ross started walking around the library, using the ladder instead of flying to return the book she was reading to the top of the shelf, "But the girl did not stay here for long, she only asked a few questions."
"Do you even know what"s going on in the other parts of the universe?" Hannah tried approaching Aerith"Ross, but Nannah quickly grabbed her by the arm and stopped her from approaching — it was important, after all, that none of them move far away from each other. "I have a vague idea," Aerith" Ross shrugged as she stepped down the ladder, "The history of the Old Universe is not really concrete, there are only stories here and there about what happened...
...but enough to know that in some way, Riley Ross failed in rescuing all of his children." "May I ask you one last question, Aerith" Ross?" Riley once again spoke up as he stood right in front of Aerith"Ross as soon as her feet landed back on the floor, "Are you Machina pretending to be Aerith"Ross?"
"That happened?" Aerith" Ross once again only glanced at Riley before looking away, "Hm, interesting."
"... Are you the one who told Karina that one of her siblings is Nothing?" Hannah also took this chance to approach closer.
"No," Aerith"Ross raised an eyebrow as she looked Hannah in the eyes, "I suppose I was still a little disoriented when all of that was happening, but I think she heard me wrong - I said one of my siblings is Nothing."
"...What"s the difference?" Hannah also raised an eyebrow, "Wait, do you mean Riley here has another child with your mother? Which of the Aerith is your mother anyway, even Megawoman is confused when you tell her."
"Huh..." Aerith"Ross blinked a couple of times as a small chuckle escaped from her lips; the way she talked to Hannah and the way she talked to Riley was completely different, "...That"s another misunderstanding, perhaps a fault on my part. Since as you may know, I am also confused."
"...What are you even saying?"
"None of them are my mothers, in a sense," Aerith" Ross shrugged as she picked up another book from the shelf, "And...
...Riley Ross is not my father."
"You literally look like Megawoman and this idiot combined," Hannah rolled her eyes, "Seriously, Riley? Can"t you just keep that thing between your pants calm or something? f.u.c.k."
"What do you mean I am not your father, Aerith"Ross?" Riley tilted his head to the side.
"Ihade already told you when we talked," the tone of Aerith" Ross"s voice once again became unfriendly as she started reading her book instead of looking at Riley, "You exist in my universe, but at the same time, you do not - you are a thought, a concept... a being that exists further beyond existence, a G.o.d. You are not my father, I can"t claim to be."
"Then-"
"All of you are confused," Aerith"Ross sighed, "Then allow me to just reveal it, then. Jennifer is not here to annoy me about not interfering, so I might as well since I very much like Hannah - Riley Ross is not my father...
...but my mother."
"Now you"re just f.u.c.king with us," Hannah"s eyes turned dead as she looked Aerith"Ross in the eyes, "Nannah, what do you think of this?"
"Please don"t ask me, I"m literally just decoration at this point," Nannah shrugged as she followed behind Miss Pepondosovich as she explored the large library.
"I do believe Riley Ross would know what I"m saying," Aerith" Ross once again glanced at Riley before looking away, "Aerith misunderstood my words when I told her that I was the
son of a variant."
"Oh," Riley"s eyes very slightly widened as he looked to the side.
"Oh...?" Hannah wanted to strangle everyone there and then, "I swear, Riley. If you don"t tell
me what"s going on in your mind right now, I am going to-"
"I am her mother, Sister," Riley blinked a couple of times as she looked back and forth
between Aerith" Ross and Riley.
"...Care to elaborate on that?"
"My mother is someone who had gone beyond her fate," Aerith" Ross smiled as she closed her eyes, "Someone who lived amongst G.o.ds, amongst the chaos, amongst the threat of turning
into nothing...
...Olseyir the Untethered."