I Just Want To Be Average

One look and I knew. I was right. It was a temple.

I walked to the middle of the hall, stood under the open roof, and closed my eyes taking in everything. The broken walls. The short remnants of pillars, not reaching even to my waist. The runes on the walls, cracked and incomplete. And the tablets resting at the foot of the front wall. Inside my head, the broken pieces rose from the rubble, completing the walls. The dust gathered standing the pillars tall. The winds carved the complete runes into the walls. And the tablets rose to sit on their invisible pedestal.

"It is most certainly a temple," I said, louder than I realised.

"Describe it for me."

The soft command was entirely familiar. And like everyone else I had ever known, I couldn't refuse. I described the temple as I saw it in my head.

"Wow, that's beautiful," she praised. "I think it is, to be honest. But it sounds familiar. Are you sure you're not describing a Vikari temple? Like the temple for Pervue, the one you love?"

I was surprised. I heard the words echo in my head, and the temple began changing in my eyes. The pillars dissolved into the walls. The bricks in the walls painted garish outlines. The runes twisted into Vikari. The tablets on the pedestal melted into one wide slab, on which was painted in Vikari the image of Pervue, the Vikari god of knowledge, the god who sat upon the throne of the heavens.

"It really was the Pervue temple," I sighed.

I was mortified. How could I have made such an unforgivable mistake? I knew immediately why she felt familiar. There was only one person in all of the world who could make me feel so.

"Lulu," I said, and opened my eyes.

"Hi. Dee."

She beamed. And leaped at me.

Lulu had always been smaller than me. And as it seemed fated, she was going to be smaller.

Lulu was five. Denise and I were nine. Denise dragged us to a romantic movie, the last scene of which was the heroine leaping into the embrace of the hero after finally proclaiming their love for each other. Lulu loved the movie. And was convinced that that was the best possible way to show love. And so, ever since, every day, every time, she would leap at me, wrap her hands around me, bury her face into my neck. It became her greeting.

I was prepared. As I held her, I realised I had missed her more than I realised.

"I missed you," she said.

"I know," I replied.

"Let's go somewhere more private," she said, for my sake.

There were others in the temple, old and young. They were all staring, probably finding us sweet or embarrassing. Lulu wouldn't care. But she worried for me.

I nodded, and we walked out to the back of the temple. At some distance, we sat ourselves on a few small boulders.

She spoke first. She knew what I was going to ask before I did.

"How am I here? Well, I knew you were coming. You told us. As for the exact time, Jerry told us. That's how."

I smiled. Sighed. And nodded.

She smiled. Nodded. And continued.

"What about school? I finished all the assignments for the year. With some help. Used aunt's prestige to get permission to leave. And here I am. I'm going to be with you the rest of the year."

I was stunned. Truly. I knew they weren't happy that I applied to Gawkers without telling them. They had applied to different schools, and had gotten in before Gawkers accepted me. They hated most of all the fact that they couldn't change schools. I felt foolish for not having predicted that they would find a way to rush over. Lulu's arrival left me anticipating what Denise would come up with.

"You're pleased," Lulu told me, like I didn't know.

I nodded. She nodded, like my reflection in the mirror.

"The temple, then," she said. "You're confusing it with the Vikari Pervue temple. Aren't you?"

I gave myself a minute before answering.

"No. I don't think so. Maybe I did confuse it a bit. When I closed my eyes, the walls and the pillars stood again, and maybe they stood as they did in the Pervue temple. I wouldn't have realised it if you wouldn't have brought it up. Even if I did, wouldn't be immediately. Thank you for that."

She accepted my appreciation gracefully.

"Never a problem. But?"

"But," I said, slowly. "That would have made me realise something else, much quicker than now. Remember what I said about the Vikari temples?"

She didn't. I knew that. Never short of patience, I explained again.

"Vikari gods were closely entwined with their elements. They didn't have form or shape. And so, the temples for the gods were the same. Open. Without walls. Without roof. Very near the elements. Except for the exceptions. Among which, Pervue was one. Vikari preceded Faery, and was extremely distant, so there couldn't be the effect of Vikari on Faery. Which raises interesting avenues of study."

"You want to study this temple drawing a parallel with the Pervue temple."

Lulu was very good at seeing connections. And understanding me.

I nodded.

"It certainly is a possible route. And, most importantly, the parallel would allow me catch up much faster."

"It's not very fun being far behind, is it?"

Lulu teased. Made me smile.

I agreed. It wasn't nice at all, being so far behind.

"You've got me now," Lulu said. "That's an advantage no one else has. We'll be racing to the front so much faster than anyone can even imagine. It'll be such fun."

We shook on it. It would truly be such fun. More for her than me.