16 Snap 15: Revelations.

We had walked into an area containing a large wooden house. My old house. Beyond it's doors, it looked just like the old house. But it lacked what it had to my memory. The TV was much older. No game consoles. As I looked around the old place, I saw one thing of note. The one thing I couldn't explain. It was a photo frame, but with only 2 people. The only time only 2 people would live here, would be before my birth. In the photo, I saw my Dad, clear as day. I was always told I was practically a clone of my Dad in appearance. This picture basically proved that. He looked older than me, definitely, but still very close to how I look. Around early 20s or so. On his left was a woman. With blonde hair and emerald eyes. The hair was tied into a pony tail, and the woman was wearing a summer dress. Those details seemed familiar. The detail that made me understand everything was the fact that the woman was pregnant. That's... Mom. And the details matched Jupiter's, but she was much taller and mature, like Vulcan said. She gave herself an appearance that matched her mental age. What broke my heart looking at this picture were their smiles. Such full and warm smiles. Ones that could only come from true love. One that could never last.

"I have lied about one thing, I must confess." Vulcan stated.

"About what?" My eyes were still glued to the photo.

"Your mother, my darling daughter, she never faked her appearance."

That took my attention.

"What do you mean? How could she have 2 different heights and sets of features without faking it? You said she could easily."

"...It is a matter of what her true appearance was. In the not so distant past, she looked exactly as you see her. But not long after you were born, she was cursed."

"I know that. Thrown in to a decade long madness where she lost her memory."

Sorrow filled her face.

"Do you know why the curse exists? Long ago, her Divine Majesty went to my husband for guidance, as she normally does. But she asked a most frightening question. Who would be her downfall. And he said that one day, a demigod would destroy her reign. Her Majesty is not well liked, you see. She has many enemies, all made by her rule over the Gods, but she could not predict she would make a demigod hate her. She is our absolute ruler. Whatever she says will happen, we cannot avoid them. Only the Seamstresses of Fate have such a luxury. And so she decreed that Gods cannot have children with humans, lest they be most brutally cursed. But, as one trys to avoid their fate..."

"They usually only seal it..." I reply.

"Yes..."

"...What is the curse?"

"I cannot say, I would be found. I can only show. But only if you are willing, only if you can bear to watch."

"...It's that bad. It's fine. Do it."

I was pulled along Reality's very seam as I entered the past, or at least a simulation of it. I was back in the house, just as I viewed it today. I was in the doorway as the door unlocked, and 3 passed through. Dad and Mom, holding me. All seemed well, they were full of smiles this night. They sat down by the fireplace. Dad on the left Mom and me on the right. They took no notice of me and only passed through. I can't change anything here. They were talking. About what, that didn't matter. Eventually, Mom's words trailed off. I could tell what was coming.

"Honey?" Dad said. "Something wrong?"

An enormous explosion detonated right then and there. I braced for impact, but I wasn't really there so nothing would happen. Dad laid on the ground, motionless. The house was gone, Mom was floating there holding my crying self.

Mom roared out in abject pain. A most blood curdling scream ran out. A true pain I may never understood. Her eyes lost their shine and colour. The irises disappeared. She threw her head up in pain. Her limbs moved as if a toy being moved by a child. She had no control. This much was in my expectations, but as I was thinking that, I felt a searing pain on my back, on an old scar. I realized where it came from. Mom's hands sliced my younger self's back. This Divine Queen, was controlling my Mom to kill me. This...This...absolute bitch.

My Dad had regained consciousness as he saw what just happened he yelled out. But the words wouldn't reach her.

Until some remainder of Mom's spirit fought back, wrenching her hand away in a desperate attempt to save me. One final explosion and Mom had the same form she has now. Tears ran down her face. She held my lifeless body. With what remained of her sanity she injected me with an energy to save me and changed our memories as she laid me next to Dad.. She ran away, losing what sanity she had left. All that would be left of her would become Jupiter, but not Mom. My consciousness reached my body in the real world as I heard the words

"Never forget."

I woke up with a thunder.