Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sara was a little fuzzy on the subject of Ravan’s family but based on what little she has shared and what she mentioned that she might have two moms? Regardless she was not one to judge, “Tell her I say ‘hi’ back.”

Sara, nodded. She would admit ever since the meteor hit she has become a bit more introverted and shy. After taking a sharp breath, “Alright, if I’m attempting to do this, I’m gonna need you to support me in supporting her, k?” She reached out her Ravan took her hand. They approached Rydia, Sara slowed her pace to a stop. With a little help from Ravan she spoke, “Hey Rydia, I know we don’t know each other well. But this can’t be easy for you or for anyone. I- just wanted to let you know we are here for you. We are here to listen.” She bit her lip hoping she said what was needed.

Heather took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves. It did not work very well.

"Thank god you both picked up. I'm in the way back from a board meeting. Things got a little heated, and one of the members said something that outright scared me. Something about how we would 'get ours' soon. I don't want to point fingers, but he seems the type to be in Prometheus Watch. Their activity has increased recently, and the whole thing didn't seem coincidental. I have a recording of the meeting that I'd like to play for both of you when I get back. I hope it's nothing, but I didn't like his tone."

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Lokelonni smiled at Kerana and held her left hand out to her. "I know. I peaked." she whispered with a playful wink.

"As you saw with Alec, this wont be like it was before. Do not worry, I wont disappear the moment you ascend. I still have a little time. When you are ready, take my hand. Alec, be ready to catch her should she faint the way you did."

Alec blushed with embarrassment, "Yeah, got it. For the record I didn't faint. I just went to sleep is all."

Lokelonni chuckled and returned her gaze to Kerana. "Prepare to receive the absolute blessing."

Freya and Okami remained silent as they watched what was to unfold.

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Rydia remained silent for a few seconds before she turned around. She had been crying, a lot. "You are so sweet! I really need a hug right about now."

Without warning, she threw her arms around Ravan and Sara in the same hug she gave Alec and Kerana. "With all that I have lost, I am fortunate to have people like you to call friends."

Kerana whipped the last of her tears, “I’m prepared to accept this blessing.” and took her hand. As their hands connected there was a glow that went from Lekolonni that starts to make its way to Kerana. The glow spread through her veins, as it reached her feet a plant made of light grew wrapped around her. She started to fret, it was causing her to feel a little claustrophobic. She looked to Alec one last time in this form and this brought her calm as she was wrapped fully in this human sized flower bud then lost consciousness.

Within the petals time slowed down. From the moment they started going out Kerana knew she was the perfect girl for Alec and he had reinforced this notion by believing in her every step of the way. It was now time to become the perfect woman for him.

All she could hear was her heartbeat reverberating within the flower bud. Her body heated up as the changes started happening. “So warm” she sighed out. The veins of light concentrated in her chest.

With every breath her whole body pulsed. Her roundness of cheeks faded and the contours of her face became more elegant. Her neck lengthened like that of a swan. Her shoulders broaden a little.Her humble breasts were pulsing slowly blooming gradually increasing in size. Her torso stretched as her waist slimmed down while her hips extended. Her glutes were in sync with her chest gradually blossoming with each pulse. Her arms and legs sprouted and thickened with toned muscles, enough to be considered athletic. Throughout the process her second tail caught up with her first and she was slowly gaining height. Her back stretched and curved causing her posture to thrust her chest forward and rear back. The effects faded when she reached a slim but curvy 5’5”. Her dress filled with her new curves causing it to be more form fitting revealing of her newly formed legs and cleavage on her chest.

In the real world it was a long and silent minute. People could see a silhouette of what was happening inside the flower bud. The petals unfolded slowly gently place down Kerana then faded to reveal a dormant Kerana all grown up. Her body was glistening with sweat due to the amount of energy her body used. She stirred a little. Alec helped her up they were closer in height. She stumbled due to her new center of gravity and their chests connected both feeling something that wasn’t there before. Both were blushing but Kerana with a mischievous smile had something in mind. She whispered in his ear in her new and seductive tone escaping her pouty lips “I’m ready Alec” then nipped his ear a little. Her leg slid upward allowing the slit on her side of her dress to show off more of her leg.

Alec watched the lightshow silently. Verbally silent, at least. He could hear his heart pounding and feel his temperature rising. He watched as the modest girl he fell in love with at first sight became an adult. A very shapely adult.

He was prepared when she fell. He immediately took notice of her "developments." They look at each other for a moment. In spite of her physical changes, he could still see "her." Sure, he liked what he saw, but he was always more attracted to her liveliness and positivity. When she whispered in his ear, a pulse went through his body that he had only felt hints of before. At that moment, Alec discovered that he really liked having his ear nibbled on.

He mentally reached out to her with an audible tremble of excitement, "Now? Like now now?"

Lokelonni sighed happily, "Aye me. Young love. What I would give to experience it all again. Do not worry for me, and do not feel you have to stay. I know how the two of you have longed for this moment. Far be it from me to stand, well, lay in your way. Kerana, it was a joy and an honor to not only teach you but to get to know you as a person. Alec, I know you will give everything you have, but do not forget to look after yourself as well. Farewell, young ones. I wish you both the best."

Alec looked to Kerana and squeezed her hands. He wanted to leave. As much as he dealt with death, to be present at her teacher's passing and unconsciously feel the need to work did not sit well with him.

Lokelonni looked to Liam and took a breath. "Not much longer, Liam." She shifted her eyes to Liv and requested, Liv, I know you have done much for me already, but I would like you ask one last favor from you. Please transport us to the surface. I would like to feel the sun on my face and see the world's splendor. I leave the location up to you."

“Surprisingly targeted indeed. You know, might not be a bad idea if” she dropped through her shadow and emerged in her limousine sitting across from her and without missing a beat “I’m with you just in case anything should happen. I have snipers equipped with sleeping darts on stand by should we find we are being tailed."

Alec took a deep breath, smiled, and nodded. "We aren't going anywhere. Besides, what sort of reaper would I be if I didn't ferry you to the afterlife?"

Lokelonni shook her head, smiled, and sighed in amusement, "I should have known better. After all of these years, you two still wont listen to me. Very well, I will be happy for the additional company."

She looked to Freya and whispered, "If you would please, dear."

Freya nodded and easily picked her mother up in a bridal carry.

Lokelonni looked to Liv and said, "I do believe we're ready when you are."

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As used to it as Heather had gotten, she was on edge enough for Trinity to startle her. "How did you get sn-. You know what, I should know better than to ask that by now. Here, I'll play the recording."

Roland Galstian

Older Man: "Heather, please, be reasonable. What you're asking for is unprecedented."

Heather: "Only because no one has had the decency or balls to fight the system. This thing we do, where we lay off thousands of people every quarter just so our stocks look good? It stops now! You people are either too old or too greedy to see the truth. Infinite growth is a lie. We will plateau eventually, and it will be on the backs of the middle and lower class."

Middle Aged Man: "Your bleeding heart is going to sink this company! Your father-"

Heather paused the recording. "That's Roland Galstian. He the guy who said the thing." She hit play.

Roland: "-understood this. Why can't you get with the program?"

Heather: "My father was a single minded sociopath who couldn't see past his own megalomania."

A Different older man: "Says the girl who wants to upend capitalism."

Heather: "A statement from ignorance, Mister Dewitt. I lived a comfortable life with my mother and stepfather before I was changed by a meteor. I then spent five years in utter destitution with my brother and other people who were cast away from society. There were months were we did not know where our next meal would come from, or whether we would be safe to sleep with Daedalus on the lookout for people like me."

"It is that experience that drives me. Not a misguided sense of pride or power, but a desire to rebalance the scales and not threaten people with starvation or homelessness because one of you assholes wants another private jet or mega yacht."

Middle Aged Woman: "That was uncalled for, Miss Reynolds!"

Heather: "It had to be said! I'm not suggesting that we give away our wealth, just that we temper it and give it back to the people who put us here. Which is why I propose we work with Valhalla, in conjunction with the US government, to build safe housing and safe havens for not just metahumans, but for anyone who finds themselves downtrodden. I want to solve homelessness, by giving people homes that they don't have to pay for."

Dewitt: "Preposterous!"

1st Older Man: "Inconceivable!"

Middle Aged Woman: "Out of the question!"

Roland: "Dangerous."

Heather: "...Excuse me? Dangerous? What the Hell is that supposed to mean, Roland?"

Roland: "Just that people who have tried what you've suggested have found themselves the target of some very powerful people. You should watch what you say and who you say it to."

An audible plume of flame followed by Heather growling: "Is that a ******** threat?!"

Roland: "Calm down. Of course not. I was merely offering a warning. We wouldn't want another attempt on your life."

There is a heavy silence broken by Heather: "I think we need to adjourn for today. Anymore advice from Roland and I might literally fire him. Out of the ******** window."

Middle Aged Woman: "Heather!"

Heather: "I said we're done!"

There was a some murmuring, but a whisper slipped past the noise: "You're going to get yours soon, Rey. You and all the other animals."

Heather stopped the recording. "I knew I heard him! Part of me thought it was my mind playing tricks, but he actually said it! What do you guys think? I mean, what if he's with the Prometheus Watch? It would make sense, right? How they've managed to stay funded?"

"Not only that, but the only people who would know about me getting shot are in this conference call, Liv, and the Prometheus ******** who interrupted our spa day!"

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Rydia's mind wandered for a bit as she pondered Sara's question. She turn back to the ocean and spoke wistfully with an air of nostalgia.

"It was a wonderous island that stayed sequestered from the woes of human concerns and society by staying above the clouds. It was far from a Utopia, mind you, and it was not always that way, but my mother and grandmother worked hard to reshape our society into something grand. I suppose my father helped too, though if you were to ask him he would deny it. He never wanted to be a leader, but he settled with captain of the guards. He brought firearms and rifle marksmanship to the island."

"It was a kingdom broken into districts with the citadel at it's center. No one lived in poverty, as no one wanted for anything. There would be a celebration for every birth, and a period of mourning for each passing. We experienced life as one people. Even us royals would join in on tasks that would've once been considered beneath us. Mother felt it was important that we be leaders who earned the adoration and trust of our people, and that we should not become out of touch rulers who enriched themselves at the expense of their subjects. "

"I supposed you could say it was like something out of a high fantasy novel or maybe even science fiction, but for me it was just home. A home that was dropped into the bottom of the ocean within the span of an hour. It's astonishing how almost quickly everything I knew and loved was taken."

There was a loud crunch. Rydia looked down and saw that she had gripped the steel railing so hard that it succumbed to the pressure. There was a moment of tense silence. Then Rydia snickered. The snicker was followed by a nervous chuckle, and then finally into a full bellied laugh. She did not know why what she did was so funny to her, but the laughter felt very good.