precocity
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Jen felt terrible for what she was doing. She was effectively spying on her own daughter. Her seven-year-old daughter. What kind of parent did that? Just because Amanda had volunteered to do the dishes did not mean anything was wrong. Although the string of oddly mature behavior made her wonder if she was not doing enough.
“What’s going on?” Jen’s husband, Chris, asked, speaking in a low, and very close voice. “Is something wrong with Mandy?”
“No, not wrong, really. I just…have you ever noticed she acts more like an adult than a child?”
Chris shrugged. “And?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking. You remember those stories we used to read in college? The ones where the main character would be reborn as a child?”
“Jen, I know you tend to let your imagination wander, but seriously?”
“It all fits if you think about it.”
“We have a very smart, very mature little girl. That doesn’t mean she’s a character in an overdone fiction trope.”
Jen was not so sure. “I guess. I’m going to stay here for a bit. Make sure she doesn’t break anything.”
“Yeah, okay. You know where I’ll be.” Chris said and walked off.
Jen knew he was right. That whole genre was just silly wish fulfillment anyway. But she could not help but think it. When she looked into Amanda’s eyes, she saw an adult, not a child. She needed to know. She entered the kitchen and moved beside her daughter.
“Hey, sweety, you doing okay? You need any help?” She asked.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m okay. I can do this.” Amanda replied. Jen looked over the girl’s work. It was actually very good. Most children her age would be more likely to get soap on the counter than the dishes, but Amanda was cleaning everything properly.
“I see that. Very good job.” Jen said. Amanda beamed and stood a little straighter.
“Mom? Is there something wrong?”
“No, nothing. I…I have a question that might seem a little weird, okay?” Amanda nodded. Now Jen just needed to think of the actual question. “Do you remember anything from...from before?”
Amanda tensed for a moment. “Before what?”
“Before you were alive. Before you were Amanda.”
The girl looked away, and began cleaning again. “No.” She said simply.
“I see. That’s okay. Say, did I ever tell you what kind of stories Dad and I used to read?” The girl looked back to her mother. “We used to read these silly stories about people who became another person. After they got old, their spirit would move to a new, baby body.” Jen watched Amanda’s reaction closely. The child fidgeted slightly, but did not look away. “You know what I always hated about those stories?”
“What?”
“That the hero didn’t tell anyone. There were so many problems that could’ve been solved by just telling other people and being honest. But they never did, and usually got into a lot of trouble because of it.”
Amanda sighed and shut the water off, putting the dish she had been working on back in the sink.
“Fine, fine, I get it.” She said in a very unchildlike way. “You win. I’ll come clean.”
Jen blinked in surprise. She had not actually thought she would get anything out of Amanda. At least, nothing so easily. “Wait, so you’re actually…”
“A person reborn, yes. And from a world that you would consider to be the stuff of fantasy. I guess I wasn’t doing a good job of hiding it, huh?”
Jen found a chair and sat. “No, you were doing fine. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who noticed anything off. So, now that I know, what exactly should I call you?”
“If you’re asking what my old name was, it was Altria Nessian. But don’t call me that. She died, and now I’m Amanda. You should just call me the same as you always did. I know I plan to keep calling you Mom.”
Jen had to admit she liked that. “Okay, but why?”
“Because that’s who I am now, of course. Just because I remember who I used to be doesn’t change who I am. And to me now, you’re Mom, and always will be. Besides, I like the name Amanda. It’s nice.”
“Good to know. Although now I understand your reaction to Dad and I naming you. You would squirm like a worm when some of those names came up.”
“Yeah, I know. Some of those names were not very good. I mean, Esmeralda? That’s what you almost went with?”
“That was his idea. I wanted nothing to do with it.” She leaned back in her chair and took a slow breath. “Putting the name aside, how does this life stack up?”
“Very well, actually. It’s really nice. I do miss magic, but everything else is really great! The food alone is so much better.”
“The food?”
“Oh yeah, lots better. Hm, let me put it this way. You know how you always complain about your average cooking skills? Well, most of the ingredients you use can be found in my old world, but you would be able to be a chef for kings and emperors. Heck, they would probably fight over you.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Jen had to wonder if Amanda was pulling her leg with that one. She was nothing special in the kitchen.
“Nope. I’ve tasted dragon steak that didn’t taste ass good as those pork chops you made yesterday.”
“Dragon steak?”
“Yup. I told you, it was a fantasy world. I was even a mage there. I really good one too.” She said with clear pride. “I’d show you, but magic is…hard here.”
“Well, since it doesn’t exist, I imagine it would be.”
“No, magic exists. I can even use it. It’s just…there isn’t a lot. It’s like trying to get water in a desert. It’s there, but not a lot and it takes a lot of work to get to. I’d show you, but…”
“But?”
“Hm, for example, a match. A match is something that’s designed to be lit on fire. That’s its purpose, that’s what it wants to do. It still takes me half an hour to light it with magic.”
“I think I’d still like to see it some time.”
“Okay, but it won’t be very interesting.”
“Even so. Finding out my baby girl can do magic is quite the surprise.”
“Yeah. Um, Mom?”
“Yes?”
“You’re not going to tell anyone, right? I’d rather as few people know as possible. And I do have my reasons. I mean, once people know about magic, and other worlds and stuff, my life is basically over. At least, my normal life. I had enough of being in the spotlight over there. I’d rather live as quietly as I can for as long as I can.”
“Is that why you didn’t tell me until now?” She nodded. Jen thought about it for a moment. “Well, if that’s the way you want it. I won’t tell anyone unless they already know.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me. But I guess you’re still going to ask a lot of questions, aren’t you?”
“Well, yeah. Wouldn’t you if the situations were reversed?”
Amanda chuckled. It was the pure laugh of the child she looked to be. “Yeah, I guess I would. So, what do you want to know first?”
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I know this probably isn't what the word is supposed to mean, but oh well. The whole point is that it's just a jumping off point that gets the creative juices flowing. So, this is what you get.
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