"Our mother teaches genetics at Syracuse University. No idea what she'll make of us. Professionally speaking. As a geneticist. As our mom she'll just be glad we're okay."

Nod.

"Good. I'm glad," she says, sincerely. She snuggles closer in the hugs. She hopes she gets to have that, too.

"Hey. If I know parents, they'll just be relieved you're alive."

"Yeah. Just. It's been a long time, and I'm. Not the same. To put it lightly."

"People change. I wasn't the same person I was five years ago even before I acquired slime mold properties. You've changed more than most, sure. But you're alive."

Nod.

"I'm just - scared that I'll look like a monster that thinks it's me instead of. Me. ... Or maybe I'm scared that I am."

She considers her thoughtfully for a moment.

"Nah."

.... This extremely blunt and direct answer startles a laugh out of her.

"Okay," she agrees, softly.

"How much longer is it going to take your inky thing to come back, because at this point it looks like we should seriously get to our rescuers to reassure them and then to your family."

"I don't actually need them to come back, I'm still in control of them. I've found the place you got the slime mold from and I'm doing a grid search of the nearby area and checking the various levels of buried ice. We can leave them to search if you'd like to leave now."

"That might be a good idea."