Mom stood before her. It had been a week since they had both arrived. Cindy looked up into the stern expression of her mother and stood her ground. “Mom, you haven’t changed any of your gear. Your power is wrong, we need to stop using it.”

“‘Cinderflame’” Mom looked down at her imperiously. “My power makes things trivial. We need it. Whatever you think about it, you have to look at it from my perspective. I can make monsters fight each other. Every time it happens the whole power gets stronger. It is obviously a cheat skill just for me.”

“Well… I need the gear, I need to be strong enough to save the world.” Cindy stood with her back straight and looked at her mother with as much backbone as she could muster.

“You won’t need to do anything,” Mom began. “If you want to stay here then you do that. I’m not staying any longer.” She turned and began to walk away.

Cindy dashed forward and grabbed onto her mom’s skirt and yanked on it trying to stop her. “We aren’t ready! You’re cheating and we have to follow the rules!”

Mom whirled and smacked Cindy’s hands aside. “Cheating? After what I’ve been through it is the least a world could do to make me this strong.” Mom towered above her, “What happened to my little girl that would listen to her mother?”

A darkness gripped at Cindy’s mind before she forced it away. Fighting the words that were echoing once more. “Stop it!” Cindy screamed, clutching her head in her hands. Cindy covered her ears. “You’re not supposed to use your powers on people! You promised!”

Mom crossed her arms as it seemed her eyes turned into black pools. You could drown in them if you stared so Cindy looked down, staring at her mother’s feet. “You’re defying me?” It was a whisper that Cindy could barely hear. “I’M THE PARENT! I KNOW WHAT THIS WORLD NEEDS!” Thundered Mom.

Cindy shook her head as the voice clawed at her trying to bend her to follow. “No! This world has rules! If we follow them then everything will be alright! What you’re doing is breaking it! I see the dark cracks, the impossible strength of your blows! Something is wrong! We have to fix it first!”

Mom grabbed Cindy's hands, prying them away from her ears. “You’re being a child!”

“I AM A CHILD!” Cindy yelled, pulling herself away from her mom. “I’m the hero! You need to listen to me! You wouldn’t be here without my wish!”

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“A wish…” Mom raised her hand as if to slap Cindy before letting it drop. “Then let the wish work! Obviously you aren’t strong enough to save the world! I am!”

Tears filled Cindy’s eyes as she looked up at her mom. Hurt and anger welled there deep inside. “It’s like you don’t want to be here! We are supposed to adventure together! You just either make me do everything or you break the rules! This is supposed to be fun!”

“Fun? You think a world in danger is fun? This isn’t one of your stories Cindy! You are being foolish. I’ll show you! You STAY here!” Mom’s words hit Cindy like a hammer causing her to sink to her knees.

Cindy wept before she looked up, her voice was croaking and full of sadness ,“We’re supposed to be together.”

“Once this world is mine we will be together.” Mom’s fists were clenched as she swept her eyes imperiously over everyone around them. A snarl on her lips.

Cindy stopped, shaken by her mom’s words, “Yours?”

Mom stopped, still and quiet in an alien way, “Yes. I’ll lead this world when it is saved. Then it’ll be Me fulfilling your wishes. You won’t need anything anymore when I can bend the world to us.”

“That isn’t saving it! That’s not how we’re supposed to be together!” Cindy cried out her emotions boiling in a thousand ways.

“Don’t be so picky!” Snapped Mom. “I don’t need a picky little snot traveling with me. You’re supposed to be my perfect little girl.”

Cindy shook, “You aren’t my Momma.” It was a whisper, laden with fear and worry.

“Then you aren’t my baby, I don’t want to see you again until you learn to listen.” Mom turned as Cindy knelt paralyzed.

“Wait…” Cindy held out hands towards the retreating form of her mother as she stormed away. It didn’t matter that she was different. At least she was there. At least she wasn’t gone still. Cindy crawled and ran after her tripping over the hem of her robes a few times. “Momma wait I’m sorry!”

Mom turned to her, that black energy waving around her with a furious wind. “I said wait here! You wanted to farm every piece of gear you could then do that. Stay here until you’ve gotten everything you want without me.”

Cindy couldn’t fight it this time as the words etched themselves into her mind. Wrapping her in invisible chains that tied her to the very spot she stood. “Momma! Don’t go!” She pleaded.

“When this is all over we can be together. Until then you aren’t ready for what is needed.” This time Cindy could do nothing to stop Mom as she walked away from town.

Cindy wept while she stood rooted in place. Thoughts of a warm hand barely strong enough to squeeze her back filled her mind. A warm smile she so desperately wanted to see again. Mom left her again. Abandoned her without anyone to guide her. It didn’t matter that she was cold now, that she was distant. Mom had held Cindy, right after showing her the power. Even though it was a cold hug that robbed her of strength, she still wanted it. Wanted to be held by her mother, even if it hurt.

Tears and snot ran down her face as she sobbed, unable to take a step towards where her mom was going. She wailed for her mother in a way she hadn’t been able to do before coming to Gaia. Without dad there, without his strength, without mom. No one came to hold her as she sank to her knees and curled into a ball. I don’t know what to do.

It was hours later when she was finally out of tears and sobs. That she felt empty, alone, and exhausted. “She said we would be together when the world is saved,” Cindy told herself. “I can’t just let her do it all on her own. If I save the world, she will be back to normal.” Cindy crawled to her feet. Those words filled her mind. “I just have to farm, then I’ll go.”

The loneliness started to fester. She could only ignore it. For now.