Silvershore

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jupiter was trying his best to stay strong during these times. Although he was closing himself off from everyone, he needed to be strong for Ragna, who was in just as much pain as he was.

The main thing on his mind is what he could have done differently. If Jupiter had just pushed himself a little harder while training to become stronger than he already was, maybe he could have been able to push off the wolves who were holding him back, and be able to do something to save his mother.

"What could you have done, anyway..?" Ragna asked. "As soon as Daruk laid his eyes on mom, she was a goner..."

"I would've just taken her place." Jupiter told her. "I'd just have Daruk kill me instead."

"That's...really noble...but, still, I mean...we're so young. We have our whole lives ahead of us...you're probably gonna become mates and have kids with Sky...and I'll...get with someone...and...you worked so hard training when we were younger, and you hardly ever take breaks now. Is that...what mom would have really wanted..?"

"Just...look at it this way. There's this thing called the butterfly effect...it's the phenomenon whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. In other words, it's in which the smallest changes in initial conditions can lead to large-scale and unpredictable variation in the future. So, what does that have to do with me doing something to save mom, you may ask? Well, something even slightly different I could've done in the past could have had the effects needed to protect mom from being killed by Daruk. It probably sounds stupid, but...I dunno. Knowing about the butterfly effect, it...messes with me."

"No...it's...it's not stupid. I understand how you feel." Ragna sighed. "But...whatever kind of butterfly effect thing that happened to cause her death...just know that it couldn't be your fault. You never had the intention to cause it, so...does it really matter?"

"Ugh...you know how I am. I always find a way to blame myself." He chuckled nervously.

"I know you do, and...we needa work on that..."

"Yeah, yeah..." Jupiter sighed. "I'm working on it..."

"It doesn't seem like you are, considering what's happening right now..."

"Okay, fine, not really..." Jupiter admitted.

"Come on, Jupiter. Do it for mom. And, me..." Ragna begged.

Jupiter winced. When she put it like that...

"Fine..." He sighed. "I'll...I'll work on it."

"Promise? Promise me!"

"Yeah, I promise!" Jupiter committed. "I'll stop."

"Good!" Ragna smiled. How is she smiling at a time like this...?

"Anyway, uh..." Jupiter paused for a second. "I...think I should probably go talk to Sky..."

"Really? You're finally gonna talk to people?"

"It's been, like three days!" Jupiter protested. "But...n-not everyone, okay? I should just probably talk to Sky, cause, she's sensitive and stuff, n-not cause I want to talk to anyone! I-I just don't wanna hurt her feelings..."

"You're really emphasizing that you don't want to." Ragna told him. "It makes me think you do want to talk to people. Especially Sky..."

"S-Shut up!" Jupiter barked.

"You are so difficult..." Ragna chuckled.

"Ugh...fine. I...might miss talking to Sky a little bit..."