-The 303rd year of the Alliance Era, or Totaus 303ae. It's been 127 thousand years since the death of christ, and we're far from Earth, where it Happened. Instead, on the far side of the Galaxy's spiral arm, is the capital city of Planet Halicarnassus-
"Jaaaaaaaaaack...." Alisia sang, sweetly; humming to herself, as she combed the halls of a great Golden manor. "Where are you, Jack, dont make me worryyy."
Her three divine attendants just stared, from a distance. Feeling deeply amazed, and, simultaneously, deeply dismayed.
Trying to keep busy was all but futile, with this curious spectacle unfolding in the background. After all, their supreme new Deity, Alisia the Unbound-- who had escaped from beneath the thumb of the monarchy, on the human capital world, of Gliese. Who could credibly claim to be a successor of the one true God, from the distant past... Seemed to be, well. Quite a naive young lady?
Perhaps that was only natural, however. it might even resolve itself, in due time; since her true age couldn't be known, and her potential for change, and growth, were both absolutely limitless.
Unfortunately, as of yet, no such major developments had transpired. In fact, from the very moment she'd first arrived, on this rebellious world, the young goddess had invested the VAST, supermajority of her time, and energy, into her own personal projects;
her own personal obsession, really.
Her "perfect creation..."
A little human boy, of her own design, called Jack Van Aeir.
Alas, the many attendants, housekeepers, servants, butlers, maids, cooks, priests, and even security staff, of the sprawling, splendid golden manor above... Were all, seemingly, united; as if in one mind, with the countless serfs, and civilians, of the partially underground capital city below. Wishing, together, desperately... and not altogether silently, that Alisia might spend her time more wisely. To the benefit of them all,
And yet. The Noble Diety among them, in all her youthful wisdom, really seemed determined... Seemed pleased, even. To disregard every grim implication, of the political reality of her own existence. And spend that time in revel and play, instead. With *him,*
Consequences be damned.
Alisia, new Goddess of All Creation, stalked back and forth, from room to room. Across the opulent, ornate halls of the Golden Manor, in the Capital city of Halicarnassus; ostensibly stumped. Doing her best to look concerned, she nonetheless almost chuckled, and her demeanor slipped a bit; seeing that her baby boy was shifting, slightly, behind the sofa, preparing to make a run for it.
Unbound, the young goddess kept a stiff upper lip, and stifled this. Pretending not to notice, choking back laughter. She tapped her chin, pensively, instead. Seemingly arrested in place.
"Oh, my Jack... Where are you? It's time we head off!" She cried out, pleading with the wrong side of the giant living room. Still apparently deep in thought, looking baffled, at wits end ...
A holograph screen in the far corner, which had been playing-- all this time, to no one-- Was extinguished, abruptly, drawing her eyes... And her attention.
In the same tempo, she could feel her brilliant, perfectly designed little toddler preparing to scamper off. Still hidden, where he crouched, behind the sofa, to one side.
It was... Simply a marvel.
Alisia just couldn't help wondering, exactly how far ahead of his peers, of a normal boy, her little man already was? She could see, in his mind, a rudimentary knowledge of the truth to these games already flourishing. He certainly knew to try and distract her, using the holograph screen, to create a 'Diversion."
He certainly knew by playing along, she'd be happier, and so would he.
The young boy's leg muscles tensed, then flexed in place; as he finally determined his best opportunity to run.
Alisia grinned, tilting her head ever so slightly. Her heart very nearly even skipped a beat, in the process. Mere moments away from seeing his charming little face again--
Bang. A muted, tumbling crack, from somewhere in the distance, behind her. Another "distraction,' perhaps...?
Oh, yes. Her perfect little boy had tossed something, to the far corners of the room. The Unbound Witch felt a burst of pride, in his youthful brilliance, as she narrowed her eyes.
At once, Jack Van Aeir sprinted; breaking out of his hiding spot, with no small amount of commotion involved. She saw, at once, that he aimed to pass her-- pass by her legs, on the right hand side. Really trying his best to escape her, on his still tiny, little legs.
He was already giggling, hysterically, however, by the time he inevitably failed. And the Goddess' victory was proclaimed~
Alisia turned, elated, catching him, and his soft yelp, with the power of her mind; sweeping him up, from across the room, and floating him casually to eye level.
"Jack! Jack, there you are!" she Beamed, holding out her hands. Guiding her little boy up into her arms, where, simply delighted, she exclaimed. "My one and only!"
The perfect human boy simply shrieked, laughing, as Alisia flooded his fragile, developing brain with pure love and happiness, with all her sheer, bottomless devotion.
Until, cackling, she physically swallowed him up; pulling him down, with both arms, into her busom, with a tight embrace. He fought back, against this, only half-heartedly, and for less than a second as well.
Giving in, Jack rubbed his face, joyously, against her cheek.
"You missed me alot, huh."
"Oh, every moment without you lasts a lifetime, Jack!" She moaned, nodding cheerily, and also very honestly; as her outer appearance visibly changed... Shifting, ever so slightly.
The boy just giggled, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
This suffocating comfort, this bottomless happiness and longing for closeness.. He couldn't have known it was unnaturally driven. His gifted, but still immature mind couldn't conceive of that, at all.
And the feeling, itself, was beyond incredibly addicting, regardless.
In fact, it was so familiar, by now, that the unnatural joyful sensation seemed to settle into his very bones; wiping out any competing thoughts, which might have otherwise formed the beginnings of questions, in his mind.
Overwhelmed, as she carried him off, he could only repeat the words he heard from her, so often, in these moments.
"I Love you..." He mumbled, quietly, to her. Almost under his breath, almost dozing off.
She just giggled, at this, looking briefly away; squashing down any feelings of guilt, And surrendering to her own rampaging sense of entitlement, her sense of freedom, success and joy.
The renegade witch, turned Goddess, glowed.
To have actually chosen, no... Made her own, ideal partner, her own host! The very most perfect, most absolutely worthy, and wonderful human male that could ever, or would ever, exist-- Nevermore, would she have to concern herself with the power of the faraway Throne, the Monarchy on Gliese!
The power of the Alliance couldn't reach her now, not now, or ever again!
And, although she now carried her precious darling, in one arm, while strolling along; her attention, somehow, began to turn. Drifting, absentmindedly, away, from her original intent.
Which was to smother him in love, and joy...
Instead, Unpleasant memories had begun clouding her mind, and darkening her thoughts, which slowly turned to the past. She did recognize this, to some degree; but only poorly, perhaps in part due to her extreme youth, and overall inexperience.
Never would those depressed old spinsters, of the Mother's Board, (forgotten and lonely discarded weapons, that they were!) ever sit so high-and-mighty, above her, again! No more cold, unfeeling eyes, so full of fear, uncertainty, and scorn; she had borne their burdensome weight for her entire life, already, and, they would never befall her again.
Nor would all the doctors, Labs, and programmers, she had left behind, on the Citadel moon, apply their fearful TimeLock prison. That threat of stasis, was forever behind her. Alisia truly was "Unbound," at last, her epithet realized, finally free from it all...
By now, her face had actually shifted, noticeably, bringing on a more moody hue, a colder expression; one that seemed, to the small, puzzled mind of Jack Van Aeir, to be forming something between a grimacing scowl, and a calculated smirk.
At last, yes...
Now that she had actually become the final authority, in the infinite multiverse, at last. The entire tyrannical Order of the Witches Assembly, could never compel her, ever again. Their dreadful and absurd 12 layer match, would never foist some meager fool, upon her, she would never lose everything, and be bound to them, for the rest for her natural life--
"Hey, now..." Little Jack called out, in a small, but nonetheless moderately determined sounding voice. Almost irritated, or maybe concerned? He Interrupted the Goddess, and her train of thought. "You okay?"
Her inner monologue froze in place, stopping what might otherwise have begun a death spiral.
Reaching out to tap her, on both cheeks, the boy stared up, with wide, intelligent eyes. Although she wasn't exactly fully grown, yet, herself, at least... She didn't appear to be, the girl who stared back in shock, felt almost sick, almost nauseated; overcome by guilt, by stunning wonder and amazement. The fact that she, who was in some ways his mother, in some ways his sister, in some ways his peer, and, in some ways, part of himself... The fact that she, who would someday become his bonded partner, for life, and more besides...! had allowed her mind to wander, and neglect him?
that simply could not be--!
Shifting the boy over, coolly, in front of her chest. With her bright mood again restored, the Goddess Shut both eyes, and squeezed her face, warmly, against his.
"Yes, my baby..."
Alisia laughed, lightly, to reassure him. The lilting, almost silvery sounding song overcame Jack Van Aeir; who felt a sudden influx of affection, and positivity. Washing, psychically, over his entire being, his entire awareness. "You make everything just fine."
At that point, cocooned in a cradle of pure love, the little boy just yawned, beaming. He stretched, and seemed to relax.
Almost submerged in it, herself, the Deity felt a strong rush of pride, of headstrong adoration, for the kind of person she knew her little man would someday be.
I must look again, I should use my powers, and choose another path, for us. The Goddess thought, still borderline drunk on her newfound freedom; her boundless happiness, to be here, on Halicarnassus, a rebelling world...
With her very own little creation, her perfect legacy, her Jack Van Aeir.
Almost intoxicated, Alisia reached out, through her blood, and the depths of her mind--
With all the power she could muster. The very world itself seemed to submit, before her...
Flushed, she looked down the hall, ahead of them. Inhaling, and breathing deep; she held her baby boy tight.
As everything, all around, seemed to ever so briefly, bend or shake...
But, quickly as it had come, the moment of uncertainty passed. Unbound Alisia had fought for control, and won. Gathering up her transcendental powers, to command them, once again... And her gift of nigh omnipotence was properly upon her, now.
Within the depths of that power, however, the Goddess was suddenly forced to resist what felt like swelling riptide; a sickening headrush, as sensory overload, and flashes of desperate anxiety rocked her. for just a moment, even, threatening to submerge her.
When the sound of her heartbeat filled her ears, however... She knew she had it all under control, again.
Opening up several higher dimensions, she saw the possibilities, flowing, all around her... Grinning, dizzily, Alisia knew, that she could make almost anything real, now.
From this state...
Although, as of yet, Tapping into her true powers was still quite exhausting, for the poor Goddess, unbound. Capable as she may be, the quantum processors inside her, throughout her mind and body, were still growing; developing, alongside her.
And yet, already, with the quantum processors firing, in her mind, while under the influence of her true powers; she could feel that reality itself would always bend to her whim-- imprecise, as she may still be.
Besides, at this point, to actually manifest anything, to choose a new reality, would be too tiring, too difficult, she reasoned; and her goals had already been achieved, simply by looking ahead.
She was giggling, weakly.
Perhaps she had already spent too long, even, merely looking ahead; into her many possible futures...
Alisia almost coughed.
Her many possible futures, together... with Jack Van Aeir...
She could so clearly hear his voice already, the voice of the perfect man he would soon become... it echoed, out to her, from somewhere in the tide of higher dimensional possibilities.
repeating a few choice words, back to her.
I love you. Im in Love with you...
You're everything to me--
For all her bottomless power, this made her feel truly helpless, then. Almost blissfully so, in fact, in the face of that vast, yawning, infinite moment; in spite of all her capabilities, Alisia knew there was nothing she could manage but a smile.
With words she knew she taught Jack still drifting back and forth, between her ears, she almost wanted to cry; hearing him speak through some twenty years of potential time.
Reaching her limit, the countless possible futures faded, the higher dimensional realities vanishing like a door slamming shut all around her. The quantum state, in which she was a god, a worthy successor to the God of Ancient humans on Earth, had come to an end.
She could only breathe, exhaling heavily; almost dizzy, with small flecks of tears brimming, at the corners of her shimmering eyes.
The little boy in her arms just looked around, utterly astonished, utterly mystified. Somehow, vaguely aware of the voice from the future, he managed to wonder aloud.
"I.... I Love you?"
"Yes..." She just wanted to cry, from pure laughter; whispering back, to him, tenderly. Still visualizing his future self, and her own future self, so strongly, behind her eyes. "I'm going to be so in love with you, Jack..."
Alisia's eyes flickered shut, nuzzling her cheek on his head; already feeling the long, welcoming embrace of the phantom of his future self, in her heart, in her mind...
Her body changed, again, shifting, ever so slightly. The use of her power wasn't so great as to be taxing, this time, for she was still exhausted, and unable to perform another a full activation of reality selection, for some time yet. But there was no time to rest, and recover. In the wake of this last, most recent dimensional pulldown, the Goddess knew she surely had some duties to attend to, some concerned followers to reassure; a few of her divine attendants still waited, patiently, in stunned silence, at the far side the hall, just out the door to her left.
And a slightly older shape, an older physical appearance, always seemed to inspire more confidence; in those who proclaimed her as God. So, where a younger, more immature looking girl had stood but a moment ago, now, the world's cutest 16 year old girl appeared, very different than before, in hair, eyes, and face.
She still cradled Jack Van Aeir in her arms, however. With her closed eyes stilll fixed on an infinite number of potential futures.
A brief coddling exchange of "Are you ready, Jack?" and "yes..." She jockeyed him a bit higher up on her hip, looking into his eyes.
Then they stepped out, through the door, and into the hall, to greet her Divine attendants.