Sunshine pointed at her adopted sister,Lime and shouted, "It's HER fault! She was showing off again!Using her wind powers to drink soup without a spoon!" Lime was trying to hide behind the easel, and said,"It would have worked if SUNNY hadn't pushed me!" Thena said, "It's my fault for asking Lime to show me what she could do! I didn't meant to cause trouble!" Rose took a deep breath and said, "Thena--it's your home. We were guests. You didn't cause the problems. Sunny--you shouldn't be so jealous about your sisters powers. I don't have any of the Four Sister's power and you do NOT hear me whining. Finally...LIME, I have noticed that you are showing a marked tendency to want to show off to impress others with your powers. This really concerns me." "Lime, it is natural for you to want to test your boundaries and your limits. HOWEVER...there are other considerations you should think about. ONE--how jealous you little sister feels left out. She looks up to you, and feels like she won't measure up no matter what she does. YOU don't need to rub her face on what SEPARATES you from her! Two--have you seen Neblae, Measure, Snowflake or Toxic showing off? IF NOT, wonder WHY not! They can help you. Ask them for guidance." "Lastly...if you are having troubles with being one of the Four Sisters, think of giving up the power to someone else. You are too young to be fighting on the front lines in this war against the Scourge as one, in my opinion. I want you to live long enough to become an adult. I love Snowflake and worry about her. I love,you,too, but worry about you a LOT more." "Think on this, please. I have laundry to do. You're all lucky that you don't have school today! I wasn't planning on doing laundry in a strange place. Laundry is still new to me, so I accept the challenge! Just one thing, more Ladies! NO more challenges for today, alright?" Rose lifted the laundry hamper and scanned the discomfited girls who nodded. She smiled and left humming a tune. Sunshine jumped down off the bed and asked, "You hear that? She's HUMMING! I never heard her do that." Lime sighed. "She's right. I was showing off. Sorry Sunny. I wasn't thinking of how you were feeling." Sunshine hugged her older sister and smiled. "That's alright! You've always been a big dummy!" Thena broke out laughing as Lime grabbed Sunny with an arm around her throat and ground her fist into Sunny's scalp."BIG DUMMY? WHY you little..." "Ow,ow,ow!" Rose's voice boomed into the room, "I can STILL hear you! I'm only the next room over!" Lime left go of Sunny who stuck out her tongue at Lime. They said, "SORRY,MOM!" Thena's eyes shone as she whispered, "Your mom is SO COOL!" She looked at Lime and asked,"I want to ask about that weird planet you just back from? You can detect life? I didn't follow that." Lime shrugged. "Not really. I can detect stuff in the air. Like people or animals moving around or folks breathing. I saw lots of stuff, but only detected one person n the planet. I saw little...like lights moving around, sort of like fireflies, but with no physical bodies. On the dark planet, they really stood out. They must have been some kind of energy thingees." Sunny said, "I know! I did a search. They must have been will-o-wisps! Cursed spirits of the dead trying to lead you into disaster show up as lights like that in folklore and mythology!" She held up her hands and went, "OOOoooooEEEEEeeeoooo!" Sunny grinned ferally and laughed. Lime said, "Stop it ,Sunny. You weren't there. There was THOUSANDS of wrecked ships and bones. MILLIONS of them. It was pretty scary. I was so happy to find SOMEONE, anyone, even an Asuran enemy!" She hugged herself and looked out the window. "The air was the kind of cold that sinks into your bones." Sunny looked over at her mother who was silhouetted in the door. Rose had an unreadable expression of thought,looking at Lime. --TO BE CONTINUED!--