Soulless Beauty Aorta

IN OTHER WORDS

The sky was beautiful. Not a cloud could be seen. The sun shone down onto the verdant sprouts that erupted from the rich soil. A tree provided shade. Rose felt the warmth of another beneath her. She clenched at the soft material of her mother's dress as she leaned back against the tree.

"Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, 'o sinner, come home' "

It was a song her mother would sing to help her sleep. A thought appeared out of nowhere in her consciousness, as she turned her head up to look at the eyes that stared back.

"Momma?" The voice from above muted. "Yes, darling?" Rose had forgotten what she wanted to ask. "Um... when's your birthday?" The maternal face sweetly radiated as a smile spread across it. "It's a few weeks off, why do you ask?" "Because I want to get you something, Momma!" Rose's mother laughed gently as she placed her left hand on her daughter's head, and began to stroke her hair. "You're all I need, Darling."

Rose awoke to the sound of Heather humming to Gardenia as she slept. Hyacinth sat at the edge of the room they were in, knocking her folded up weapon back and forth between her knees, keeping lookout for any drones. There was a warmth on Rose's nose. She reached up, and felt the heat of a tear on her fingertip.

"Oh, did I wake you?" Heather stopped humming to his daughter, his comforting voice spoke out quietly in the small room, now only filled with the subdued noises of the machinery and pipes in the walls. Rose answered after a moment, sitting up, "No. No, it's fine. I was just dreaming of my mother""Your mother?" Heather showed a look of befuddlement, "Your mother... I remember her I think. Yes, she was very close to me. I- I remember her helping me with Gardenia as a baby, and giving me parenting advice. I never cared for women much- I always said 'women are like shotguns, the closer you get, the more hurt you end up'" Without turning around, Hyacinth snorted at Heather's 'dad advice' before he continued, "But your mom was great." Heather sat back against the wall and leaned his head back against it, staring upwards. "She was so sweet, a mother figure to all of us at MANNA. If I remember correctly, she was Mary's sister... or maybe her cousin? The two were somehow related, in any case", Rose's mind began to move faster, more fluidly as she tried to remember her mother for herself.

"Anyways", Heather spoke again, "You should get some sleep. If our encounter with the next boss is anything like our tussle with the first two, we'll need all the rest we can get." Rose closed her eyes, her drowsiness returning again. "Good night Heather. You're a great dad." "Mm. She taught me well."