It was past midnight. Rain was still falling, the storm sense of it was gone. The sound of water droplets on a metal plate was like nature trying to play music. Wind was still there but it was very mild.
Viriya and Kratshi had just left the stand, even though Kratshi resisted because of the rain.
At the metal plate shaded token stand, Makriva stayed to talk with Pannavo.
He started by, "Do you know, something happened near the Scarred Forest? Something happened near it when we were on the train."
Pannavo, thinking a little, said, "I don't think I have any information about it. What happened there?"
"I haven't witnessed it, Viriya told me this." Makriva said at a slower pace.
"What happened with her? What did she witness?" Pannavo asked.
"She told me this in a different language.
...
So, some details might be off." Makriva said at a much slower pace than before.
He wasn't sure if he should say about the memory distortion of Viriya now or later. He at last decided to say about the language — if the talk went towards that, then it wouldn't be his complete choice to say so.
"Was that Zlin? She had some Zlin notes with her."
"Zlin? No, no. It was an ancient language, Hindi. That's what maam Khanti told us."
"She was speaking a language without knowing the name?"
"No, she had known that, just not the ancient part."
Pannavo raised his eyebrows hearing that, then said, "Didn't know ancient—" Cutting himself off, he asked, "First tell me what happened around the Scarred Forest?"
"She told me, time stopped, she didn't. And a creature, a mixture of dog, human and some many-handed water animal, died there in front of her and got cleared.
...
Was that thing used there?"
"The artifact is stored in Mraton now. It can be used there. I have to confirm that." Pannavo was calm and composed while talking about it. He then asked, "How was Viriya during that? Was that the reason she was quiet?" with some concern on his face.
"She was actually, yes, pretty composed. You said no one can move if it's used, not even you. How was she moving there?"
"That is because of the Praghava flower, most likely. If the blink of time was used there. Now, tell me about the ancient language. Did she learn it from her mother?"
"Not exactly. I can say now, but maam Khanti gave me some tokens for mother. She might have explained better there? Should I say now or..?"
"Ok, I'll get to know from her. You go home, catch up to them. I will go home after Kratshi is back."
The rain had almost stopped then. Ridhra was still sitting in the rain. Makriva made a krr-krr sound, and Ridhra came and sat on Makriva's shoulder. While leaving the platform, he looked back once and started running.
In the little far, Makriva could see Viriya and Kratshi walking. Ridhra jumped from Makriva and started to glide towards them. When Ridhra was closer to them, they looked back, seeing Makriva and Ridhra they stopped and Ridhra sat on Viriya. After reaching them they started walking and talking.
After reaching the big road Makriva pointed out towards the shortcut. Essentially asking if they should take it. Kratshi agreed and went to that path.
"Why this place, so bad smell?" Viriya asked covering her nose, her whole face was distorted from disgust.
"It's a meat shop. So yea, and rained so this is the situation now.
And it's a shortcut." Makriva said, covering his nose.
"Shortcut.. better end soon." She was quite irritated, one good thing was, her sleepiness was completely gone.
"It's not that bad, and we are almost there." Kratshi said.
"Mhm.. sure." Viriya replied like she isn't convinced.
After they went out from the small path, Viriya sighed loudly out of relief.
After walking a little, their house was visible. Makriva had to show Viriya without being obvious towards Kratshi. To make it look like sibling banter he said, "Hoi sleepy sloth, can you see our house there?" pointing towards their house.
Viriya said, "Yes, brother of sleepy sla—ndiri."
"Why di not come with us?" Viriya almost instantly continued with.
Kratshi replied, looking towards Viriya with little confusion, "Pannavo was supposed to come and I was supposed to stay there. I am here so he had to stay."
Viriya had a neutral face like almost always.
"Yes sleepy sloth. Dad will come home when he will be at the stand." Makriva intentionally said again to change the conversation.
Viriya just face palmed hearing that again. She was still walking like that. In that situation she was about to trip over something. But Makriva caught her before she could fall.
"Slow, slow down, sloth."
"Yea sure my beloved brother." Viriya said snarkily.
Makriva didn't say anything, just thought that at least she won't try to walk past the house without knowing.
They reached home, Ridhra went inside to rest on the fuzzy fur of Ownad.
Bhavakari noticed the missing bangle of Viriya. It seemed like because Kratshi was there she didn't mention it.
After Kratshi left, Bhavakari asked about the missing bangle.
Before Makriva could say anything, Viriya blurted out, "someone stole it, I don't know what happened." in Hindi.
First Bhavakari looked a bit confused, she asked with that expression, "Stolen? How?" Bhavakari went towards Viriya as she asked.
Makriva thought, maybe mother taught her Hindi earlier because she didn't react about it.
Before Viriya could say anything else Makriva said, "The day we reached there, she left for Upavana at night. Some people stole it from her. She was a bit disoriented then but, she is ok now."
Mother looking at Makriva now asked, "Stolen? What happened?" then looking at Viriya she asked, "Are you ok?"
Makriva then going towards Viriya and putting his hand on her shoulder said, "She is ok. Now she is just tired. We can talk about it tomorrow, again."
Then said after stopping just for a bit, "Maam Khanti sent some tokens for you. We discussed it with her. Maybe she explained there?"
Mother looked at Viriya a little longer then said, "Sure, give me those tokens. And did you find any clue of the bangle, where that might be?"
Makriva shook his head hearing that.
Bhavakari seeing that, said, "Ok." Then asked Viriya to sit in a chair there. She held Viriya's hand and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes she said, "Yes go to sleep, we can talk tomorrow."
Makriva asked, "Did you find it?"
"No, something was blocking it." Mother said, a little concerned.
Makriva went towards Viriya and sat beside her.
"Anyway, both of you go to sleep. We will talk tomorrow." Mother said to them.
Makriva got up and said, "Sleepy sloth, freshen up a little before sleeping." He showed Viriya where the bathroom was. After Viriya finished, Makriva took Viriya inside her room and told her to sleep there. She had just wet her hair, so she didn't braid her hair this time.
When he came outside he noticed Father was back. Makriva said, "Gave those tokens from maam to ma. She said she will talk with us tomorrow."
Dad said, "Ok, you sleep today as well.
And yes, Blink of Time was used there. By the Parira of Mraton. And they said they will send more information tomorrow."
Makriva just nodded and said, "Ok."
Dad went inside after taking the hung trenchcoat off the bed frame.
Before Pannavo could go inside, Makriva asked, "Is mother's power leaking because of her current situation?"
"No. Why?"
Makriva pointed at the small withered plants around the room. Some were normal, and some were made out of wood, concrete, many things.
"No, she must be practicing." Dad said it rather too quickly, like he was avoiding something.
The explanation was actually possible. But he noticed Dad was hiding something from him. He didn't ask further then.
Makriva then went to the bathroom and just changed his clothes and washed his hands, legs and face. Then undid his braided hair to freshen up. When he was about to go to sleep, he saw Viriya coming outside of her room. She said, "Why not tell memory Problem to Ma and Di?"
With an exhausted sigh Makriva said, "I think Maam explained it better in her token than what I would have said."
"Hm ok,
And yes not mother name Bhavakari? What Thenra?"
"That is used for loved and respected women." Makriva finished that in one breath with a sigh and continued, "Baby or an elderly, it can be used for all. But mostly used for older ones."
"Hm ok,
...
Then I Thenra too?"
With a chuckle Makriva said, "You? Thenra? Never."
"Hm sure,
...
There I can eat something? Not eat dinner."
They hadn't eaten anything at night because they came home quite late.
Makriva said, "Sure, go to the room on the left, there is the kitchen. On the top shelves some snacks are there. Eat those."
Then said as he was walking away, "And bai, I am going to sleep."
He hadn't slept much from the day they left Upavana. And before the conversation that might happen tomorrow, he really wanted a peaceful sleep.
Makriva went into his own room, which was on the second floor. The room was the same as the floor below, concrete base with wooden supports and works. One striking difference was the room didn't have those dead plants. The room had a bed at the north-east corner, the closet was at the opposite corner along with a messy table beside it. A wall clock beside the closet, on top of the table, was ticking.
He just went and fell down onto the bed. Lying there, remembering the conversation with dad, he remembered Viriya had dropped her flower, but she was still moving. He thought he should go and tell this now, but decided not to because they will talk the next day. Then he just tried to sleep.
He slept peacefully that night. Didn't move much at all.
___
"Sleepy sloth."
"Hoi sleepy sloth."
"How long you will sleep sleepy sloth?"
The sound of Viriya echoed in the ears of Makriva.
Still half asleep, he thought, I just slept. Don't wake me up now.
Finally he woke up and looking outside the window between the closet and bed he thought, Didn't I sleep just now? How is it daytime already.
Viriya kept saying something which didn't register to Makriva that much.
Viriya shook Makriva and said, "Hoi sleepy sloth. Ma is calling you, don't just sleep the whole day. Come down. I am not waiting for a sleepy sloth."
Makriva looked at Viriya with disbelief.
Viriya asked again, "Do I need to repeat? Come down, Ma is calling."
Makriva said, "Yes, but—"
Before he could say anything else Viriya left the room and Ownad followed her, who was sitting near the door.
Makriva somewhat yelling while trying to leave the bed, "How did you—"
He fell down from the bed when he saw his one leg was tied to the bed frame.
The fall did hurt his right shoulder. After slowly getting up he thought,
Did she remember everything?