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Mother copyright Hayatoru Obaskayoh 2007 A boy moves towards being a man, but much different than most do... Natural Wonder Chapter 2 Mother Essy smiled gently, gazing into the makeshift mirror. It wasn't really glass any; hardened nectar firmly polished made it up, with an ornate bordering of a strong vine coming out of the ground. He had just gotten his hair how he liked it and admired its natural luster. Sitting the handmade brush back onto his "bureau" he flopped down on the plush leafy cushions of the couch that grew next to it. It was a good day, he'd met an interesting bird, a very pretty creature that he'd have to check up on again sometime soon, the western forest was growing back nicely after that forest fire, and the ride home was fun as always; the breeze was good today. Across from where he sat came a rather pleased moan, from a rather sultry feminine voice. He smirked gently, looking over at her enjoying herself again. He didn't say anything, just watched until she noticed him. Instead of giving the usual show she clicked her tongue at him. "Are you just going to sit about here another day? It's not even noon yet you know." Essrayle rolled his eyes and smirked. "I went to the other side of the island and back already, I'm a bit tired." "You wouldn't be so tired from so little if you started taking better care of yourself, listening to me a bit more," she chided him. But it wasn't anything he hadn't heard hundreds of times before, and he had to chuckle gently at that. "You know how responsible you sound when you talk like that to me?" At this she couldn't help but grin from where she "sat." "Ok, ok, I know I'm being a nag, but, it's my job you know. How could I live with myself if I didn't try to care for my daughter?" "Son," Essy corrected. To this she laughed, not to offend, but more amused. She smirked at him, arms akimbo. "Hey, now look here, honey, I -know- what all you've got, I'm not some stranger to you, you know." He had to blush a little, she did have a point there. "But still," he contested, "it's not like I go around flaunting it like one." "Which," she interrupted, sitting up in her seat, "I keep saying you should. But no-o~" "I'm not some kinda floozy stripper," he whined. "Those are just words to restrain, and I take that you've been sneaking time on that 'Internet' again, haven't you?" If she had a foot then she'd have been tapping it. "Yes...Mom." "Tsk, how many times have I said that thing's not for you; for us? We're above that and there are much better ways to pass time." He knew pretty much what she was thinking of, and had to grin and shrug. She went on. "Really now, when are you going to stop these silly 'mortal' practices and be who you are?" Essrayle crossed his arms and laid one leg over the other. "I think I'm being a perfectly respectable young man." At the word respectable she winced, it sounded so cold and clinical, utterly mortal. She tilted her head to the side and sighed gently. "I do fear I've raised my daughter as a pansy." Essy scoffed, grinning. "It's better to be a pansy than a weeping willow any day, mother, and you know it. I've read on the internet that it's common for "emo" teens to angst and brood and cut themselves regularly, and I don't do any of that." "Well, for one thing, you're not a mortal, and you're certainly not one of these 'ee-moh' things, and for that matter, you're a herfollia, Hun, grown and raised, I didn't move out here for you to become another prude like the people here. We've been here for a little bit now, you really should get out there, do some growing up." Essy moved his legs, lying out on the couch, flicking his hair with a hand quite indignantly. "I happen to think I'm growing up just fine thank you~ I'm rather well-mannered for a hundred." "Oh, I never said that, you're quite the suave, beautiful girl...or boy...or whatever it is you insist on calling yourself, dear." She reached over, hand caressing his cheek in a matter of moments, leaving a slight glistening trail as she brushed over his flesh. "But you need to remember, we're -not- like them, and we've got to respect our differences, and teach them how to be better than they are." "Different. You mean more liberated, don'tcha?" She smirked, patting his head before retracting her arm. "Hey, it's not custom here for -every- child to get a copy of The Kama Sutra for their seventh birthday, now is it, Mr. Smartie?" Essrayle sighed, chuckling. "No, no, I guess it isn't." "Mmmhmm," she grinned, resuming her activities from before. The two sat silently for a time, Essy leaving her to her work. "But why'd I have to practice so often anyway?" She grinned. "Hey, I could have done as mothers do here and made you take up the piano if you didn't like it~" "No, no," Essy blushed, "that's alright. ....I kinda did enjoy it...felt kinda good at it?" His cheeks reddened further and his mother laughed. "Hun, 'kinda good' doesn't go far enough. You were downright herfollian~" Essrayle giggled shyly indeed, and Mother just nodded. "Oh yes...very, very, -very- skilled child I have...and some day, you'll pick right up where you left off, and you'll grow into someone that absolutely no one can refuse." She frowned slightly. "But first, we'll need to...cultivate things a bit more. The people here are leaving this place so ugly; needs much more green." "It does," Essy had to agree. He'd seen what they called a "logger" and the site that those kinds of people set up; and he'd succinctly put a stop to it too, and driven those people back to their mainland. That always brought a little smile to his face, when he got up the courage to actually stand up for what he believed in. He was painfully shy, and his mother knew it, hence why she had worked so hard with him to get him over that all these years. It was probably the reason she pushed him to get out there and see people, besides the more obvious reason of course. He was startled from his thoughts as his mother released a loud scream. But he made no move towards her, instead waiting, smiling gently. "I'm glad that flower's sturdy, mom, you've kinda pulverized its pistil this whole time." She panted gently, still shivering occasionally, and grinned sheepishly. "Well...hmm...it'll grow, and heal...just as my sapling needs to." She let the flower go, and it sprung to its original stance, still dripping gently. Essy smiled gently, getting up, walking over, and bending down, kissing her cheek gently. She cooed happily. "Thanks. I think I need to go think alone for a bit." He smiled to her, heading off deeper into their forest. She smiled from where she sat, watching him for a time, still bathing in her good feelings. "Once she grows up, things will get interesting." She giggled to herself, and then began to consider the flower growing at the base of her seat again.

• * * The sun was shining bright and Essy was absolutely loving every moment of it. He was sprawled out on a smooth rock, his favorite resting and sunning spot as the beams hit him just right there for hours on end. Not too far from where he lay was a large pool of water, a miniature lake which was spilled into by the waterfall that ran down the rocks shielding their private forest from viewing eyes. The lush palms of the canopy completed the picture of serenity, and completely obscured any possible view in from the outside world. It was a deep talk he just went through with his mother, and he was trying to piece the bits together. She'd always been on him more about his lack of promiscuity, which she'd made quite clear was distinct to the utterly shy and, shockingly so, nudity ashamed peoples of the world. She was so bold, so brazen, and utterly open with it and unhindered by the words of others. Life had been about pleasure to her since he'd known her. He hadn't been forced to attend some sweaty, utterly dull church services as a young sprout but had enjoyed blissful days growing up learning the ways of hedonism. And he never really regretted it; he was quite a firm believer in the golden rule and felt pretty good with himself, no matter how much anyone wasted his time trying to preach him into guilt. He'd probably end up doing as she said, as she'd never been wrong to him yet really. True, she'd have him out there being a total slut if she had her way, but maybe there was a way for him to do some but maintain a bit of his rather "mortal" dignity? Yes, there had to be a way, he decided as he shifted his belly on the rock. Looking out at the water he had to admit, there wasn't enough green out there, and he didn't mean the money that humans and furs alike seemed to be so obsessed over. His mother was right; he'd have to do something about that. It was simple enough to do, and even he could grow the average tree right on the spot. But he still wasn't up to the bigger ones, and the titans of deciduous trees, giant redwoods, were beyond his grasp. Somehow, Mother could grow them with relative ease though, he'd seen it. So...maybe there was something in her words after all. From what he learned online, people generally hit something called "puberty" as they entered into maturity. Girls usually hit it a few years earlier, then boys; so he estimated for his unique case adding both together would be a sound bet. But he was already 24 and yet didn't really feel much different. This confused him, as he was quite like people, but, maybe again his mother had something with her seeming, up until then, insistence that herfollia weren't mortal. It was an obvious fact he should have thought about long ago, but there'd never really been a need to or the motivation to; until today he'd passed it off as just nagging and the world, people especially, has been fascinating enough to garner his full attentions. He rolled over, looking at the sky between the fronds. Maybe Mother was right, maybe he still was a kid, even at 24, and still had to grow. He'd "become a man" as mortals say early, his first experience being remarkably young by their standards, but maybe he wasn't a herfollian adult, and he should... He had noticed something though. In the past few years, though he'd been growing up as quite the proper young man, though he was completely happy with his existence, he had felt an undeniable, utter emptiness. It hurt him deeply, but it wasn't really ever prominent enough to be worried about; he'd dismissed it as homesickness as he'd begun to feel it having not been home in some time. But he still felt it, and though he'd ignored it till that day, hoping it was just a fluke, maybe now was time to heed. Something was needed to fill this void. It felt almost like a nagging hunger, growing steadily more pronounced. It wasn't real hunger, as he hadn't a real working stomach, and he frequently enjoyed the nutrients of the soil, and delicious sunbathes like this one. It wasn't loneliness, as he never felt alone, reflective really in moments of total solitude. He needed something else, something special. His body had been feeling steadily weaker over the years, and he'd really not been able to do all he could as a youth without frequent naps, and that wasn't due to old age- Mother was somewhere around 5000 in mortal years, only about a millennium to him (mortals had such painfully, inadequately short years afterall. It took near five to equal one of his), he didn't know precisely, she hated to discuss her age. Essrayle needed it though, and deep down inside of him his body knew what it was. Now he just had to figure out what, or wilt trying. The sun beam he had been laying in vanished as a large cloud overhead obstructed it. With a reluctant sigh Essy moved his legs and sat up. That empty aching caused him to wince gently as it seemed to spike momentarily, then faded back into it's dull existence in the back of his being. He needed to go out again, just to walk, to clear his mind and possibly distract himself from these bothersome thoughts. Padding back across the grass, his slippers muffling most of his footsteps, he managed to walk back in on Mother thoroughly enjoying herself and quite out of her rational mind at the moment. He had to smirk, not pausing as he went over to his dresser and took out a leaf, taking up a small stick filled with berry juices and leaving a note to her for when she'd be able to read it, so she wouldn't worry about his absence. After doing that and ridding himself of any potential responsibility it was back to the stone passage, a cave of sorts, that lead to their forest. It was a bit dank inside, foggy as the forest was so warm despite the temperature of the outside world, but it was old news to him and he quickly made his way through it. He stood on a stone ledge many miles above the thundering river below, the other side of the gorge only just out of arm's length from where he stood. The wind blew his fine hair about wildly though no air probably stirred above the natural wonder of these gales. The herfollia put a hand to the waistband of his pants and searched around some, finally resting on a little pouch, comprised of leaves all sealed together. From inside he took a small, white seed and closed his fingers around it, frowning gently. A few moments passed and he opened his hand, palm up. The seed instantly sprouted, growing into a long stem, taller than he, and its end immediately blossomed into a massive dandelion, quickly going through its natural stages and becoming an immense ball of puffy whiteness. Almost instantly the wind caught it and Essy gripped the stem tightly, leaving the ground with it almost instantly. The ride was quick and exhilarating as usual, and he practically shot up out of the gorge and into the air. Once he was free from the current he drifted slowly, peacefully towards the forest on the southern side. Getting through the canopy easily he landed without stirring a blade of grass. He lowered the plant, putting his head into the puff and taking out a handful of white seeds, shoving them into the bag. He hid the plant in the thick brush, "Back to the Earth" he murmured, smiling gently as he was certain no one would notice it and it was already beginning to decay some. He spent the rest of the afternoon making his way with no real direction, just savoring the sights and the pleasant day. Occasionally he'd get wind of someone nearby and have to hold his ground until they'd moved on, and crossing the occasional stream ate up some time as well. Eventually he emerged from the trees, standing on the beach of the eastern side of the island. Unlike the young men of the villages, he rather disliked the beach. To him it wasn't a potential vacation but moreover an insult, a teasing temptation as right beyond it laid the ocean. Essrayle did not like the ocean one bit. The water was crystal clear and looked a vivant blue, the occasional sea animal could be seen darting about near the surface, and the gulls made quite the happy ruckus above it. It was so inviting, but even a single moment in it meant searing pain all over his body. The ocean was salt water, the cruel joke this planet played on his water-loving body, and he couldn't handle the acidity and didn't know many plants that could. His thoughts were shoved aside as the ache returned, more of a pain in his stomach now, like he hadn't eaten in ages, but it wasn't quite the same as a normal hunger pain. His body knew he wanted something, and it knew just what. He began walking without really even thinking about it, his mind focused on that sensation. Essrayle was a very creative sort and Mother had always known it, quite enthusiastic about his various artistic projects, be they the crude finger paintings when he was a little sprout, or the rough sketches he had made her when he was slightly older, or the unique colors and variations of flowers he had grown and arranged in such intricate patterns only 5 decades ago. But right now his mind was flashing on thoughts that, while extremely creative, were of a completely different nature. His cheeks flushed throughout every one as he continued to walk. Why was he thinking such things? He was never a prude but he certainly wasn't one for ideas so...so...lewd. And every moment that hunger became just a little bit more pronounced. He began to walk a bit faster, instinctively careful not to make sounds that might give away his position; he had quite a good reason for such caution, and thinking back to it made him shake his head to dislodge the thoughts instantly. Through the trees he went, and though it was getting dark now he never faltered for a moment in his trek. As the moon lingered in the sky above, he reached his destination. He stood in the forest right outside the seaport on the western side of the island. The mortals had been quite busy here, developing what were once wooden docks into hardened cement and asphalt paths leading between the two main buildings there, "warehouses" he had heard them called once before. At this point he slowly began to realize something at last, whatever he had come there for wasn't there now and had to be waited out. And so he crouched, back against a towering tree's trunk, gazing out at the "harbor" (how many words people created for things, he was amazed they didn't get confused constantly at such superfluous terms). Essy sat there, watching intently. Eventually the light of an approaching boat could be seen on the horizon. It was big, probably what people called a "cruise liner" and packed with tourists. While Essy was usually a little annoyed with mainland tourists, they left trash in the forests, didn't seem to really think about snapping healthy branches off trees and crushing the exotic flowers underfoot as they tromped through, he felt oddly excited. It felt as if he were playing cat and mouse, and his mouse was slowly drifting closer and closer. A shiver played across his shoulders and he couldn't help but smile at the pleasing thoughts in all of their naughtiness.