“Yes, create an image that you like and use that instead.”
“I do not have likes.”
“You feel no interest in anything?”
“I . . . there is one creature that interests me. It makes little sense. I find it fascinating.”
“Very well. Take the shape of that creature.”
The golden me shrank and shifted into . . .
“A sloth?” I chuckled. “Sloths fascinate you?”
“They make no sense. You define life as evolution, and yet this creature defies the logic of evolution.” It waved a paw with long claws at itself. “Sloths are inefficient, barely able to digest their food, and they move too slowly to evade predators. I do not understand how they survive.”
Holy cannoli, watching Animal Planet with the kids was going to pay off.
Using my mom voice, I pointed at it. “This is a perfect example of why you shouldn't be judging souls. You see the sloth as inefficient and illogical. You say they defy the logic of evolution. But they don't. Sloths evolved in ways that suited them the best. They live high in the tree canopy, camouflaging themselves by rarely moving, and that lack of movement causes algae to grow on their fur, making them blend in with the trees even better. They survive by being slow—too slow to catch the attention of a predator. You see a flaw where there is none. You are not a good judge of life.”
The sloth form stood upright on its hind legs, and the head cocked to the side. “This is why I need you. You are part of my design, Vervain. You must teach me.”
“It would take years to teach you what you need to know, if you could be taught. And during that time, what would happen to the souls?”
“You will judge them, and I will learn with every analysis.”
“That is impossible. There are too many variables. Too many intricacies that can shift the morality of a soul. You cannot learn to judge properly by watching me or even by listening to my thoughts.”
“I was made for this. I will learn, and I will learn quickly.”
A challenge! Perfect.
“All right, then I'll make a bargain with you.”
“A bargain?”
“An agreement to abide by the rules we set.”
“A game?”
“No, a challenge. You have made a bold statement. Now, you must prove it true. I will judge two souls. You will observe. Then you will judge a soul of my choosing. If you judge it correctly, I will stay and teach you. If you don't, you will release me and the relics and shut down.”
“Shut down?”
“Cease to work. You will release the stolen objects you hold and power down.”
“I cannot do that.”
“All right. Then, if you fail, you will allow me to reprogram you so that I may leave, and you may continue to work without me.”
“And what if I judge them correctly?”
“What do you want as your reward?”
“Want?”
“If you win, you get something you want. So, what do you want?”
“I want to fulfill my purpose. To do that, I need you here to guide me.”
