cascade | kotlc

7. A Full Spectrum of Emotions

"You've got to be kidding me," Biana whispered, staring up at the new Mr. Forkle. Or maybe it was the old Forkle, or maybe there was no difference. They were identical, and their personalities matched perfectly. They coincided like two flowers, entangling their roots and stem, twining together and really becoming one. Whenever a new leaf grew, it was theirs both.

"I don't know what to feel about that." It defied all concepts of death, and life. Calla's ring seemed to hum almost indignantly, as if it was outraged by the mere thought of 'resurrection'. Biana honestly didn't know how to feel. She didn't even know how to feel.

When a flower dies, is the other really the same anymore? Do they change, having lost the other's nutrition? And does the fresh dew change position, trickling and watering different soil?

Is he really the same anymore? Now that he's lost his same, what is he?

She barked a soft laugh. Calla's making me too philosophical.

How do I feel about this?

...he was really two this whole time. The two acted as one, yes, but you can never change the fact they were originally two. Separate, yet they'd grown together to be one.

I'm confused, Calla... is this really acceptable?

Fitz was furious. Biana knew it well from back when Alden's mind was broken, and thankfully June didn't have to endure the entire tirade this time. Mist filled the air, scattering pollen everywhere as Fitz sank into an armchair, rubbing his forehead and groaning. June slowly paced over, massaging his shoulders and looking down.

Something clicked on her finger. Runes spread out, typing holographically and spelling a word.

Anger.

June was standing there, her eyes unfocused and gazed toward something infinitesimal in the distance, over the horizon and over the loose feathers of the moonlarks, dancing in the wind. Her hair fluttered behind her back as she faced the open window, lost in thought and closing her eyes, like she was accepting the truth and not daring to break from it.

Another series of clatters, another rune spelling out.

Melancholy.

Faye didn't really seem to care. But even she moved to a windowsill, her arrogant demeanor fading for a moment. The glass slid open and she stretched out her head, lounging against her hands and picking up the waves lapping against the shore, water crashing against water. Some moss would be swept away, into the sea, far away from its original beach. Far away from its home.

Calla's ring took longer to respond this time. A few seconds passed before something hesitantly solidified, spelling out a word Biana would never have expected to come from Faye.

Grief.

Dex, as a Technopath, pummeled Mr. Forkle with question after question, demanding specific times when he'd interacted with this Forkle. Biana wondered if this was really something that could be used. Their consciousnesses were merged into one. But she was still curious too, after all, and apparently that Forkle was the one on Mount Everest. It wasn't particularly happy, but it wasn't particularly sad either. Something more muddled and confusing in between.

Shock.

Linh endured the whole scene in silence, her silver-blue eyes focused behind the door and into the darkness. She only spoke once, and she wanted to know if either of the Forkles ever regretted hiding that they were twins.

When two plants combine, share everything, sunlight and water and nutrients and energy, is it too late for them to shatter? When they break, eventually, was it too early? Or was it fate, whispering in their stems?