[Mary's Studio]
"Yep, he's completely out."
Mary and Viviane heave a slumped Marlin across their shoulders to the guest room bed. While settling him in, guilt naturally wrinkles the artist's face over how she approached the situation.
"Urgh... But what else was I supposed to do?" she asks, sliding the covers over her uncle. The strained lines on his unconscious face show the amount of pressure he's had to deal with. It only weighs down Mary, desperate to understand.
Viviane crosses her arms. "I don't know, but not threatening your uncle with a probe of his mind would be a start."
The artist shifts her eyes. "Okay, I got a little frustrated."
The elder slime shakes her head before turning to the uncle's suitcase on the floor. Bending down, she starts unzipping it.
Mary stiffens. "Hold up, what are you doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm not going to wait for him anymore," Viviane huffs, digging through his items. "He said he brought a copy of the text, right?"
"It's most likely locked behind in his laptop or phone. Why would he..."
THWUMP!
"... Bring it?!" Mary finishes with a shout. Her eyes quiver with disbelief as she witnesses a book hurl itself out of the suitcase, straight into her silver friend's face. As the elder slime leans backward by the impact, she lets out of her own muffled cry of surprise.
Fortunately, the jump scare doesn't go any further than remaining on the target's face. Silence falls, as do some of Marlin's clothes, before Viviane pulls the book away.
"Puah! What the... Oh?"
She cocks her head, eyes glued to the specific pages of the book that engulfed her face. To her relief, she isn't struck with blank ones, but rows of symbols to a strange language.
This mostly matched what Marlin had shown, but seeing it in person, it feels...familiar. How? She doesn't know, but beyond the memories and information that came to her before, this is the first time she hasn't felt disconnected from something from the past.
Clearly, the book didn't smack her in the face for no reason. How packed was it for it to spring out?
"Whoa... So this is it? But is this really a copy?"
Viviane flinches, nearly forgetting Mary, who crept behind. Quickly, she shuts the book and snaps back to her.
"S-stop! We shouldn't be careless! For all we know, this could impact your mind just like it did when you were little!"
Stepping back, Mary scoffs, waving a hand. "Oh, come on, I only froze a little. Look, I'm fine with what I saw, no?"
Viviane frowns. "You already scared your uncle today. Do you want to worry him more if something happens?"
The artist slowly knits her brows before glancing towards her bedridden family member. "I'm the one worried here. Who does he think he is, joining a cult and not telling us?"
"I'm sure we'll learn his reasons, but it's pretty clear what he joined."
Mary halts, lifting a brow up. "What do you mean?"
Viviane raises the book in her hand, standing up. "From what he told you, he got this book from a disappearing shop that called this a 'Book of Isis'. So, it makes sense he'd join a cult of Isis. We always figured there was a modern-day variant of these worshipers based on Layna's book, but to think we'd have a direct source."
Mary inhales slowly. "Isn't this dangerous? When you were a baby, you were nearly sacrificed by this centuries ago. What if my uncle..."
Left unsaid because she doesn't want to believe her uncle could be bad, the elder slime thins her lips, glancing at the bald man. "I wouldn't assume anything right now. As strange as it is, I still want to trust your uncle. That might because of your shared feelings, so rather than me, what do you feel?"
"That's... Well, I'm not sure." Mary lowers her gaze, shuffling. "In the pub, my clone saw him order the cocktail I mentioned. The strange thing was that he just... sat there. He didn't touch his drink when it came to him. After a few minutes, he just jerked and broke the glass. It was like he woke up from a bad dream."
Viviane's brows knit. "Mary, this sounds similar to when our child froze in front of me at the clinic."
The artist pauses before swallowing. "Wait, you don't think...?"
"It's only a guess. While I know I just disagreed about probing him, maybe... maybe we should search his memories while he's out."
Stiffening, Mary wiggles her lips. After a moment, she shakes her head fiercely. "No, let's be patient. Besides, the last time you tried to sync with Daniel, you couldn't learn much from his internal meeting with Victor except to wake him. If this is anything similar, you'd give my uncle a headache, and we'd still have to hear the truth from him."
Viviane shutting her eyes, shamefully. "Sorry, you're right. I shouldn't be having second thoughts."
Clearing herself, she reopens her eyes and wiggles the book in hand. "Then, let's leave your uncle here and see what this is all about. You updated Daniel, right?"
"Er... I was a little passionate, but yes."
"Then—"
The two quiet as Mary's phone rings. Pulling it up, her forehead creases in delight. "Oh, speak of the devil."
She answers her boyfriend's call and slides it to her ear. "Hey, love! Ahem, sorry about the text."
"..."
"Yes, we're fine. I...uh, kind of threatened him to search his brain while revealing my clone. We didn't get more than him admitting he's part of some cult before he fainted. Suffice to say, he's in bed now."
"..."
"No, I don't think we're in danger... well, maybe. That aside, you said Anne is staying over at Rachel? Then... are you going to join us tonight?"
"..."
Mary's brows furrow before she growls. "What do you mean, 'unfortunately'?! Just get over here. We've got my uncle's book to study as well. While I know you've had a difficult day, Mommy and Mummy promise we'll make it worthwhile~"
"...!"
She breaks into a chuckle. "Listen, listen... You're not going to be drained any further. Come on, who do you think we are? Wait, don't answer that."
"..."
Her eyes soften. "Hmm... Okay, see you soon."
Pulling the phone away, Mary giggles. "He's so tense."
"Well, it's to be expected" Viviane sighs. "We had no idea this night would turn out to be so... opening."
Mary snorts. "Opening, huh? You can say that again."
"I'm afraid it won't get better," Viviane warns, tapping the book. "Let's head over to your apartment to see if anything makes sense. Also, it would be better if you left your clone here in case your uncle wakes up."
Mary blinks. "Ah... I guess so. Wouldn't want him running away."
She did want to revisit the new dream realm and mysterious cabin when she slept, but figured that had to wait.
Thus, removing herself from her slime layer, then subsequently apologizing to her slime clone for being left behind for uncle-sitting, Mary and Viviane head out, locking the studio for the night and returning to the former's apartment complex nearby.
Unbeknownst to them, tiny green embers fly behind them from the book Viviane carries as they make their way under the city lights.
══════════ ∴ ══════════
[Mary's Apartment]
An hour later, Daniel arrives in front of his girlfriend's apartment. Although he considered whether it was a good idea, he ultimately stopped by his apartment to grab Victor's book as well.
He sighs.
'I didn't think I'd get separated from Mom like this.'
It can't be helped as Anne and Rachel catch up, but he worries about the astronomer. Anne may hold the memories of Amy, but she's not the same friend Rachel once knew. He hopes she will always keep this in mind and come to see Anne as her own person, not a replacement.
'Although it doesn't help that I call her Mom,' Daniel recognizes. It's far too late to change that, especially as Anne would push back. Besides, the shared feelings of his slime mothers are far too ingrained into him now.
If anything, he's become more appreciative of his time with his true mother.
But, speaking of "mothers", he takes another breath, wondering what will await him tonight before knocking on the door.
The door opens swiftly, causing a blast of wind to brush his face. Mary receives him with stars in her eyes and a bright smile.
"Love! Come in, come in... You have to see this!"
Daniel blinks before he's hurried in by the hand. Before he can question the excitement in the British girl's voice, she stops.
"Ah! Sorry, where are my manners?"
Turning back to him, she leans forward to him with warm eyes. "We both had a busy day, so just try to relax tonight with us, okay?"
Daniel feels his heart rising but in a good way. Alone with her and Viviane, he had no secrets to defend, only openness and trust.
Well, he's a little uncertain on the last part with Mary's wild drive, but that's to be expected.
He smiles weakly, sliding his hands to her hips. "I'll try, thank you."
"Of course, love~"
Mary squishes against him. In turn, Daniel's eyes close as she presses his lips against him. Her arms wrap behind his back, pulling him deeper as she dives her tongue into him, embracing her existing love along with the twisted maternal feelings she's gained.
Her bottom twitches as his hands dig into her dark flesh, equally needy. Mindful that Viviane is waiting, however, Mary forces herself to break with a line of saliva between them.
Her breasts leak just a little in anticipation as she grins.
"Easy, love. I don't know why, but we think my uncle brought the actual book with him!"
Daniel hides his disappointment as he's led to the living room. Worry dresses his face. "Didn't you say he wouldn't be bringing... Oh..."
Fwoo...Fshh!
Just in time, Daniel watches Viviane on the couch, her index finger transformed into a blue knife as she cuts into a page of Marlin's book on the coffee table. As soon as she makes a mark, a blue fire envelops the Book of Isis before extinguishing within a second.
The cut she made disappears.
"Huh."
Turning her head, her lips lift to see her blank son. Snapping forward from the couch, she lifts with her arms out.
"Welcome back, my child~"
Daniel stores his shock away to receive his silver-haired mother, chuckling. She locks lips with him just as Mary did, but unlike his counterpart, she silently reattaches her gelatinous cells to his lips, sharing his warmth as their faces partially join together.
"Mmm..."
Daniel groans in content, a tingle spreading through him before she detaches. Blue slime recedes from his lips back to the elder slime while leaving his lips a little cool.
Breathing out, he clears his throat. He's not sure if it's a problem that he's getting used to it. He wonders if Rachel will be quick to draw moral condemnation to him with Viviane... or hopefully realize how little it matters when anybody could embrace a share of her friend.
"What was that?" he asks, eyeing the book.
Viviane grins. "It's the same as what Marlin observed if you recall Mary's memories with him. The book seems to have a self-healing property that prevents damage."
"Oh, right! It makes sense if this is the original, but... why did he bring it?"
"I'm not sure, but when I think back, Uncle was being oddly protective of his luggage," Mary adds, squinting her eyes. "He didn't want us to go through the book without him, either."
Daniel thins his lips as he switches to her. "It sounds like something happened for him to bring the actual book with him. How is he, by the way?"
"We put him to bed in the guest room of my studio after he fell unconscious. Currently, I have my slime clone watching over him."
"Ready to give him a heart attack, then." Daniel snorts.
"Hey, give me some credit here!" Mary growls before sighing, closing her eyes. "I'm hoping he doesn't do anything stupid."
"You said he's part of a cult?"
Viviane hums. "Yes, although, we'll have to wait for him to elaborate. It's probably related to Isis given... well, what's here."
"No, that makes sense. The question is whether he actually believes in the goddess or not."
"I mean, I would if I saw this kind of fire every day," Mary raises. "But, knowing him and his attempts to study this book, he might have joined only to find answers. On that note, there's something else you should know."
Mary and Viviane explain Marlin's outing to a pub, likely associated with the cult, given the namesake cocktail that can be ordered. They explain the strange behavior of the bald man, and how nothing seemed to happen except for his sudden wake up.
Daniel lowers his gaze. "But in my case, I saw violet fire by Victor."
"Maybe that was just in your head?" Viviane suggests. "From your memories, I saw a little of Victor and the fire, but was blocked out you really went under."
Curling his lips from side to side, he finally shrugs. "It seems you'll have to ask him."
Although Daniel worries. It's not certain who the attackers of Lecia are, not even completely by Mike, but what if they are related to a cult?
And right now, they're holding a member.
He shakes his head, not wanting to think about it. Breathing out, he looks between the two. "So, what now? Did you find anything from the book?"
"Well, I feel something about the strange language that's written. Some pages show diagrams of a set-up, but I'm not sure what it says. It does resemble the letters that you saw in Anne's dream realm," Viviane explains.
Blinking, she catches the book by Daniel's side. "Is that Victor's book?"
"Oh, yes... here."
Handing it over to the elder slime, she peeks into it before slumping.
"Great..." she mutters.
Not that she expected much when having it in her hands, but like the library copy, the pages appear blank to her.
Undiscouraged, however, they all settle on the couch. For several minutes between the two girls, Daniel reads Marlin's book for the first time while being watched carefully by Mary for anything to happen. At the same time, Viviane focuses, brushing through each page of Victor's book at a brisk pace.
The Book of Isis might as well be blank for Daniel. Skimming least a quarter into the book, he can't make any sense of the contents before turning to Mary. "Nothing for you?"
She shakes her head, snorting. "All I can see the weird language scribbled about, but I haven't been stun-locked like I was young. I wish the stupid wizard would give us something already. I'd rather not go through this entire book that I can't even understand."
Daniel raises a brow. "Still, shouldn't we be more careful here?"
"How more careful can we be than trying to read? No risk, no reward, love."
"We don't know if there's a reward."
Smirking, Mary leans forward, pressing her chest to his arm. "How about we make one, then?"
"It's all fucking blank!" Viviane interrupts, throwing her hands up as she finishes the book, confirming there really wasn't anything she missed. "What sort of flaming magic is placed on all copies of one book for it to blank for me, then another for it to heal itself?"
Daniel chuckles weakly, putting the Book of Isis down on the coffee table. He pats his slime mother's knee while staring at the two books, considering the difference between them.
On one side, the Book of Isis's undamageable property makes it so that it can withstand time. It's clear it was meant to be received by Viviane and Mary in the future. On the other, Victor's book, "An Alternative Perspective on Egyptian Rites," was meant to spread around to be seen by all. For some reason, the pages are blank only for Viviane, but why?
There's nothing particularly special about the contents, and anybody can tell Viviane the details of Victor's interpretations, so what's the point of hiding it?
Daniel's brows rise. "What if... Victor's book has to be activated?"
The two girls perk up. "Activated?" they both repeat.
"I don't know about The Book of Isis, but Victor may have something for Mother." Daniel turns to said slime mother. "When he approached me, he knew you were special, warning me that you'd be embroiled in conflict among followers of Isis."
Viviane lowers her gaze, pursing her lips. "He could've approached me if he wanted to say something."
"But he didn't. Maybe he couldn't," Daniel suggests. "Back at the clinic, you were unaffected, while everyone on the staff forgot I was there. It's clear that between you and Lecia, he... I don't know, programmed something for you two."
Programmed might not be the best word, but he doesn't know how else the behaviors they've seen only affect select people.
The elder slime looks at the two books laid out in front of them. After a while, she leans back and groans.
"I get what you are saying, child, but... I have no clue what to do. Perhaps there's some magic I have to perform, but it's lost on me. When I look at The Book of Isis, I can sense that I should be able to do it, but that's it."
Mary runs a finger along her chin, narrowing her eyes. "Maybe say the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the text."
Viviane straightens and scoffs. "Why the hell would...You know what, sure."
She doesn't have any better ideas to juggle lost knowledge.
Shaking her head, she looks at a random page of Merlin's book with a diagram of sorts. Staring at the first character, she tilts to the side. "Uhh... J-jabba."
"The Hutt?" Mary questions, grinning.
If Viviane could blush, she would. For gaining creativity in art between Daniel and Mary, it doesn't translate to anything in coming up with words.
"Fine, you try it then!" she growls.
Mary gladly takes the book, staring at the page. "Hmmm...The first word probably means... Oh, my god! It's coming to me! I can feel it!"
"W-what?!" Viviane cries. "S-stop messing around!"
"It's..."
She returns to the two, staring with a dramatic shadow in her eyes. The air thins to the anticipation.
"Booba."
"..."
The slime mother and son stare unimpressed, pushing Mary to snicker before bursting out laughing with her own immature joke.
"Jeez, you two are so uptight! Relax, relax!"
Viviane rolls her eyes. "Anyway, it looks like we might need to have Marlin's help or...!"
Gasping, she snaps to Daniel. "Wait, Lecia and the others might have figured it out with the book they hold, right? The one that summoned us."
The artist grimaces. "For sure. Another reason that I have to consider Mike's offer to take their support... or at least, that's if they don't see us as a problem when they learn the truth."
"Hmm... What did Rachel say about it?"
Daniel shuts his eyes. "She wouldn't trust anyone either now, but she said that rather than trust her word, trust the situation. I'm going to reserve judgment until tomorrow, but the biggest thing I learned was that Lecia and the others hasn't performed any magic except what summoned you. They probably know more than us, but..."
"...they're no Victor or Merlin," Viviane finishes, unsure whether to be relieved or not. "If we can't rely on them or Marlin, then we'd have to rely on ourselves as we've done."
Daniel hesitates. "What about looking into your dream realm?"
The room shifts silently, but Daniel pushes through. "I mean, if Mary had an entirely different world available after bonding with her clone, then I would assume that you have your own."
Holding herself for a few seconds, Viviane finally sighs, nodding. "Yes, I likely have my own realm."
"I'm not saying we try going in tonight," Daniel adds. "I understand you're afraid what you'll—"
"No, let's do it," Viviane cuts, her eyes firming up toward the surprised artists. "It's long overdue anyway. With the way things are going now, it's best not to delay if there's a chance we can figure out something."
"Mother..."
Swallowing, both excited and nervous, Mary raises a hand. "Okay, but we have some time before going to sleep. We've all had dinner, right?"
Daniel flinches. "Y-yes?"
Mary flashes a wicked smile. "Hehe... You know exactly where I'm going with this. Mummy and Mommy need to feed our baby before bed. Don't be fussy now~"
She slides off her shirt, revealing her larger, dark chest in her newly sized bra that was purchased during yesterday's shopping. Nearly the same as both of his slime mothers, he draws to them without thinking.
"It's time for booba, love~" she sings.
"Hold on!" Viviane huffs, tugging Daniel back to her. "We have two magic books in front of us! How can you tempt our child at a time like this?"
Without misstep, Mary snorts, unclasping her bra. "You're better off looking through my uncle's book to see if recognize anything or find any hidden wizardly messages. What can we do while we wait?"
"Y-you... How about you read Victor's book and see if there's anything. How do you know there won't be a surprise for you?"
"Ugh, I doubt it, but I'll multitask." Straightening, Mary pats her lap with an eager jiggle to her chest. She smiles warmly to her beet-red and struck boyfriend. "Come on, love. Come to Mummy~"
Although Daniel thought he'd be getting used to it, he groans. "Mary, can you maybe tone down a little for tonight?"
She closes her eyes to a smile. "No."
After some silence passes, Daniel drops his head.
'What was I expecting?' he asks himself, his lips stationed crookedly. Breathing in slowly, he turns around to face the couch before angling across her lap.
Ready, Mary catches him by the crook of her arm, her warm giggles vibrating through him as she leans forward, briefly smothering him to grab Victor's book on the table. Before any milk can be drawn, she adjusts herself, swapping the book to her hand above Daniel's head and supporting arm.
Viviane puffs up. "Hey, I can study and help just as well!"
Her determined gaze rests on her son as she pats his thigh. "Relax your legs, child. Mommy will help you down there too."
Daniel quivers. "On second thought, maybe we shouldn't...mmph! Mmph..."
By the second muffled moan, Daniel doesn't bother anymore, shuffling as needed across Viviane's lap while Mary plants his mouth into her left breast with a knowing grin. This is for the best, as his length is spread more evenly across the couch.
He suckles, drawing in Mary's sweet nectar while she rubs his back with a purr. Further down, Viviane slides off his pants and underwear, adding a cool bed to the inevitable heat that will rise.
"Hehe~"
The elder slime rubs his legs with a loving smile, sending shivers down her son's spine. After a few tickles along his skin, she picks up the second magic book to continue her push through the pages. Her free hand digs into her son's loins, encouraging his suckles.
Among all the trouble that lies before them, Daniel can't be bothered to think about them right now as he melts into their care.