BABA GRIPPED EXFLIBBERAGUIL’S WRISTS HARDER, HER STRANGE PADDED PAWS PRESSING INTO HIS SKIN. She glanced at the stairs in fear, though Exflibberaguil himself did not share it. He looked at Baba with strange, confused eyes. The stomps grew louder and more chaotic, proving there were at least two that descended down the stairs.

“Oh…oh,” she whispered with a trembling voice.

Exflibberaguil tried to will himself to turn around, but his little body only glanced at the grand, (wooden?) stairs and focused back on his hands, uninterested. Apparently, the stomping was a very common occurrence and didn’t bother him a bit.

Finally, the two came to a halt, and Exflibberaguil knew they had come to the bottom of the stairs. Finally, he turned his head, squeezing the last drops of tears out of his eyes. His childish self felt strangely annoyed that Baba quickly brushed them away.

Exflibberaguil had no interest in the little things though. He waited impatiently for his child self to look up at the faces. But he never did.

All Exflibberaguil could see were two pairs of large feet connected to slim ankles, which attached to long, thin legs. The large feet were traits of older Mustela. Most Mustela of the current generation underwent genetic modification as a fetus to make their feet smaller and more accommodated to the pedals of traveling capsules and toucan seats.

“Child, what has happened?”

Exflibberaguil was surprised to hear something different in the Mustela’s voice, something that he didn’t hear when he had been talking to the rabbit. Young Exflibberaguil was also surprised at the fact that the Mustela even bothered to pay attention to him. He looked up in surprise, finally providing Exflibberaguil will a view of the face.

He was sorely disappointed.

The face seemed to have been edited and blurred. The other Mustela was no different.

“M—me?” Young Exflibberaguil stammered, his voice also sounding different.

“Yes, you. I don’t think I’d ever have another child,” the Mustela snapped.

“Of course, how stupid of me, Guardian,” Exflibberaguil replied, his own young voice small and timid.

Inside, Exflibberaguil gave a start. Guardian? he thought incredulously. But that would mean…

Something clicked in his head.

He was reliving his memories.

It made sense now, how he was trapped in the body of a child. The blurred faces of his guardians were because of his strong will not to remember them. And, from the ominous chill Exflibberaguil got from the dark shadows looming behind his guardians, this was not a memory that intended to be remembered.

Exflibberaguil unknowingly drowned out the conversation with his own thoughts, but it was difficult to be panicked or surprised when there was another version of himself constantly interfering with his thoughts.

“—what did you do to my boy?” the high-pitched voice of the female guardian exclaimed.

Baba could only utter a frightened whimper.

Exflibberaguil felt himself fill with rage at the thought of having been called, “my boy.” His six-year-old self clenched his fists, and nasty angry thoughts clouded his mind.

My boy? You never treated me like your boy. How dare you! Do you expect me to call you mother dearest? You would have left me in the hospital when I was born had there not been a law that every female must contribute a child. You have no right to call me yours! I refuse!

But surprisingly, his voice held only trembling fear, with none of the rage his heart was pounding with.

“Guardian!” he squeaked. “It’s not Baba’s fault! It’s mine. She told me I shouldn’t have taken a piece! I insisted, and I burnt myself—”

“Burnt?” the female shrieked.

“And pie before dinner?” the male counterpart added. “What nonsense is this?”

Dinner? Exflibberaguil thought, unable to determine now which version of him was thinking. As if you’d remember to feed me dinner before you take off early!

“But it’s not her fault!” Exflibberaguil argued. This was the first time his older thoughts were in sync with his younger self. It was no longer strange that he was protecting a rabbit, his sworn enemy.

“Poor child, did she force you to say that?” the female chided in mocked pity.

“But—”

“It wasn’t the child” Baba sobbed in a final act of defiance. “It was me! I took a piece, and…and…”

“Explain the burns, then!” the male roared. “Lying now, aren’t you? I had enough of this!”

With one powerful, fluid motion, he knocked all the plates and bowls to the ground with a long, thin arm. A layer of thin clouds blacked from pollution drifted over their star, suddenly bathing the once warm, welcoming kitchen in dark, cold hues of blue and black.

“I...” Baba croaked, before breaking down in hysterics.

“Baba!”

“My boy!” the female guardian gasped, yanking him away from the fallen figure with surprising strength. “My boy! Come outside, and I’ll take you somewhere to treat your wounds. It’s alright. The rabbit will be punished. You will be avenged. You will not be burnt again!”

“But I don’t—”

“Oh, what a terrible event! You must be terribly angry, but I beg you to leave it to your mal—father. He will take care of this, and give you your revenge.”

“I said—”

“Come!” the female guardian yelled suddenly, her shallow pool of patience drained. She yanked at her arm, and Exflibberaguil felt an unpleasant pop in his shoulder. Exflibberaguil stared in shock at the crumpled heap of Baba, with the large guardian looming overhead. Exflibberaguil felt himself being dragged to the door, and a sudden panic and dread filled him. He tried to fight and put up a struggle, but the female guardian was too strong…

…the memory seemed to fade…

…Exflibberaguil felt time pass…

He came home late, with his wounds healed, but he felt only worse than before. Exflibberaguil ran through the front door and threw it open.

No Baba in the kitchen.

No Baba in the living room.

No Baba in the bathroom.

Up the stairs? No.

No one.

Exflibberaguil understood and did not understand. He expected the absence yet did not expect it. Was this reality? Crying and sobbing, his female guardian led him back down for dinner.

They had meat. The male guardian cooked it. It was burnt on the outside. Exflibberaguil felt a wave of sickness and repulsion. His gut told him what the meat was.

The male guardian was very happy. His hands were dry from washing. He also changed clothes. He cut the meat open. Strangely enough, the inside was still bloody and red.

Exflibberaguil did not eat the meat.

The male guardian yelled at him and tried to choke him with the meat.

Exflibberaguil did not eat the meat.

The female guardian clawed and screeched.

Exflibberaguil did not eat the meat.

He was the only one that woke up the next morning.

WHAT IS IT?

I…I don’t think we should continue.

What do you mean? It’s the peak of the show! Next!

I don't think—