“Heya there, squirt.”

It was hard to focus, hard to see, but after the day she’d just had, that was unsurprising. Getting born, having that voice speaking to her, getting passed around helplessly, and finally getting resigned to the fact that she was going to be helpless for some time, and then very weak for a lot longer, had not been easy.

“Your name’s not Sama, by the way.”

Despite herself, she tensed up in her mother’s hands, and could feel the ki moving over her sense it instantly.

Wait, wait, wasn’t her mother’s name Sama, too?

“Your name is Elrii.” A soft finger caressed her forehead. “Elrii Rantha. I’m a Sama Rantha, too, but my folks actually named me Samantha. Just like you, I’m a Rantha Hag. I was in exactly the same position as you. Squeeze my finger if the voice of the Rantha Curse talked to you.”

Startled, she did just that, wishing she could focus her eyes and see her mother.

“Okay, I started out exactly where you are. Same words. Same voice. Same potential Karma. Same memories of being a video game character named Sama Rantha.” Elrii could hear the amusement, and immediately analyzed her own memories.

Wow, they were missing a LOT of stuff. Like, everything a normal person should actually have!...

“So, you ain’t no Sama. You are Elrii, your own person. You use them memories and you make yourself good and strong, because Ranthas are very special, very dangerous Hags, we is.” Elrii could picture a very dangerous smile. “Your mother is the High Queen of India and China. Your father is Briggs, who is the High King of all Asia, and pretty much the Emperor of the World, even if they don’t call him that yet.

“Yes, that means you are basically a princess, but we both know Hags aren’t cut out for that. You have shit to do, and happily, we are in a position where we can help you directly with all that now, because let me tell you, it was freaking annoying for Briggs and I.

“I fully expect you to grow up and go hunting Karmic Buffets on some other world when you do. There’s a TON of them waiting out there for you, and we’ll happily help you get ready for them.”

Elrii was snuggled up softly to a warm cheek and arms. “Now, I’m totally going to dote on you, because you’re my eldest daughter and I’m entitled to. Fill in all those gaps, and have a childhood. I’m gonna be adopting kids, and having some little sisters for you, so you’re going to have a family, just like I did, plugging them holes the Rantha Template has in it, and making you a grounded human being.”

Elrii found herself relaxing. Well, this was certainly turning out better than she had expected...

“Now, I could communicate with you directly, but we’re not going to do that, because you’re mostly Template right now, you’re not a You. That means everything you are is already a part of me, and if we touch minds... I’ll probably end up being you, too.” Elrii found herself quivering for a moment at the thought, and tried to nod agreement and wave her limbs. “Right, then. So I’ll be talking to you, I know you are awake and aware and all those things, because so was I at your age.

“Also, you’re a Rantha Hag. Genetically, we actually have nothing more in common than that. You’re not my daughter like normal folks are, you’re another Hag I just happened to conceive.

“Now, you ARE related to your father, so there’s that. No stealing my Briggs from me, ever! Did you get a notice that there’s a Briggs for you?”

Startled, Elrii replayed the notice she’d been given, and squeezed the waiting finger twice.

“No? Well... interesting. I suppose we’re going to have to wait until your Incarnation Dive to find out why, and whose soul you have and came from. There must be someone else waiting for you...”