But there is no life on Earth.

[waterfell]

Near the north pole of planet Mercury, there are signs of life, all enclosed in a thin, transparent dome that still allows a clear view of the heavens. Inside, the air is clean and breathable, and even stirs itself in artificial breezes.

The entire city is a mass of blue crystal, luminous with the glow of thousands of solar trees both within and without, their blue cels attached to silvery branches and trunks. It makes a striking contrast, and the structures provide the city's energy, veritable solar power farms, bustling and thriving like the city itself. . Everywhere, the roads lead inward towards a palace, attention drawn to it by its height, taller than any nearby building.

The lush sound of splashing water comes from a clear, ornamental pool in the entryway. Tropical fish swim contentedly there, glimmers of golden koi amid and around the stems of water lilies. There is greenery, too, and flowers provide a seasoning of color. Overhead, the ceiling is dizzyingly high, adding to the sense of open space.

Seated at the edge of the pool, dressed in an elegant gown and with the sigil of her planet showing proudly on her forehead, is the Princess Mercury, now queen of her reborn kingdom. She plays a simple, longing melody on the harp she holds in her lap.

Comments

[waterfell]

"When it's a symbol like this, the grander it is, the better it represents that concept."

There was a planet, a kingdom, a civilization, struggling to believe it could survive and grow and prosper. They look to this palace as a sign that they can, that they can tame this place to suit them, that it isn't over even now, when the worst has happened.

[isomorphology]

"Oh."

She goes quiet at that. The only experience she has at something like that is CLU. CLU is the worst example of it.

[waterfell]

Mercury has many faults. However, failing the people depending on her in this land is not one of them. She even smiles faintly at Quorra's reaction.

"I never thought about what it must look like through someone else's eyes," she says, where someone else is a computer program this time. After all, humans would understand the symbolism.

[isomorphology]

"Everything is new to me." Quorra says softly. "Nothing is like the Grid, and the Grid really isn't like anything on the outside. I don't really know anything."

[waterfell]

"You should learn as much as you can about it," Mercury advises. "Every new experience will add up to something important to you."

[isomorphology]

There's a nod. "I love reading about different places... different things. I'm just not sure what I should do with it."

[waterfell]

It's a love they both decidedly have in common, and Mercury can't help warming to it a little.

"You decide that for yourself," she says precisely. "What do you want for your future? Focus your studies to make it happen."

[isomorphology]

It's all she could do for so many cycles. Read the books that Flynn would make. Learn how to be selfless. They were in hiding and if CLU ever found them? It would mean reintegration for Flynn and de-resolution for Quorra. Even if that is what happened to Flynn.

"I'm supposed to help change the world. That's what I want to do."

[waterfell]

"It's the same for me."

They come at it from such opposite points, and yet the statement is no less true. She was reborn in the darkness to help change the world's fate - what they all wanted. If her methods changed, perhaps they became the methods that were needed. She still believes so.

"How will you do it?"

[isomorphology]

"I don't know. How do you think of changing it?"

[waterfell]

"By strong methods," she answers bluntly. "Softness won't accomplish change. Instead, time will go by and you'll be no closer to the future you want to see."

[isomorphology]

"What are strong methods? Force? Forcing didn't do well on the Grid. It just made things worse." She speaks up. "There has to be a different way."

[waterfell]

"Sometimes force is needed." There's no form of Ami from worlds like hers that wouldn't understand that. They just differ in where they draw that line.

"Sometimes there's something you want to fight for."

[isomorphology]

"But you can't keep using force." Quorra gestures around. "Otherwise people won't see the good you're trying to do."

[waterfell]

She thinks of the sailor senshi who argue with her, the people who tell her to reconcile with them out of nowhere for no reason when they'd happily take her life or do worse, the ones who become furious with her for helping them because it touches their touchy pride to need that help at all.

"They don't have eyes to see that anyway," she says simply, without regret.

No wonder it's so much easier to go her own way.

[isomorphology]

"Or maybe they're just not taught yet."

There is so many things that she doesn't know, who is to say that the others don't know it too? Instead of forcing, there should be teaching. Acceptance. Tolerance. Maybe she's just biased because of a lack of the other things, her entire species was obliterated.

[waterfell]

"That's their own worry. I worry about myself." She can't make them want to be with her, consider her worthwhile, or accept her. She can only determine her own response to what they do. She's learned that over the years.

[isomorphology]

"So you'd force it instead of teaching them?"

[waterfell]

"When I see fit." The point is that it's her choice whether she'll be cruel or kind, and to whom. "I don't need lectures to make up my mind."

[isomorphology]

She frowns. "I'm sorry. I just..."

[waterfell]

As so often with Mercury, it's something of an act. She's willing to find other ways.

But so often, that's impossible. Her enemies are not the type who stop, or the type who cause only a little damage.

"You'll understand it when you face the sort of enemy who needs it," she predicts.

[isomorphology]

"Maybe." She says softly. She doubts it. How can the User world be anything like the Grid?

[waterfell]

Easy: If an enemy came, ready to destroy the grid, Quorra would - or at least, should - be ready to defend it with force.

Mercury is no longer the bridge-builder and diplomat she once was, it's true. But that prepared her for what she'd face, from beings from another dimension bent on using humans as nothing but their host bodies, to the incarnations of nightmares and death. There was no peaceful solution.

There was destruction, or battle.

"If you're not ready for that, you'll lose what you want to still have."

[isomorphology]

Quorra stands her ground on her ideals, and in spot to show she won't be just pushed over. The woman must have the thoughts she does for a reason, but she's not about to let that change her mind. She's seen what forcing and pushing does.

"Maybe. I don't think I will."

[waterfell]

She shrugs, unaffected. She's grown tired, over the years, of watching her words come true again and again when they're never listened to.

"You're welcome to march towards it blindfolded," she quips. "Plenty of people have chosen that before you." There's a pause before she softens the words - only slightly.

"I may not have any plans to interfere with your world or harm it," she adds, "However, I also have no reason to benefit it." It's for Quorra to decide whether to take the advice of experience, or make the mistakes that could have been avoided.