Exiling Erotica

Little Erotica was an absent-minded girl about eight years old with long raven hair, a knee-length scarlet dress, and coffee-colored cowgirl boots. She danced through meadows, singing to herself, picking dandelions and holding them up as though she were flying a kite. She loved the beauty of life just as much as her sister Adventure, except somehow Erotica always inadvertently landed into trouble, causing everyone around her to dislike her in spite of her fervent efforts to get along. She never grew as quickly or steadily as her sisters Intelligence, Wisdom, Adventure, Fear, Creativity, or Relation, who were already in their late teens, partly because she wasn't sure how. Still, she knew in her heart that one day she would fully mature just like the rest.

However, little did she know that rumors were going around about her behind her back. Wisdom had heard and subsequently spread that Erotica is secretly a sinister influence on the Self. Hearing Wisdom's hypothesis, Intelligence partnered with Relation to conduct some research about the Self's friends. The pair found that in 9 out of 10 Selves, an erotic force taking charge directly led to a number of ramifications including crippling anxiety, regret, paranoia, depression, and ruined careers. Having uncovered evidence supporting Wisdom's hypothesis, the trio upgraded it to a theory. The other sisters began eyeing Erotica with suspicion.

One day, Relation, sporting her usual pink and yellow sundress, beige sunhat, and perky demeanor, received a letter request for Erotica's company for the first time. Accustomed to responding amicably to other Selves' requests, Relation complied despite her confusion and hesitation. She summoned 11-year-old Erotica and handed her the letter. With thumb and forefinger gripping the paper tightly, Erotica wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"I thought Intelligence said I shouldn't be with another Self yet?" Erotica asked.

"I know," Relation replied, her smile intact but her eyes now flashing with a hidden acidity, "but in case you haven't noticed, I have an empty social interaction queue. Now this gentleman's all we got. If you don't do something, he will leave, and we'll be all alone."

Erotica looked at Relation then back to the paper in her hands. What harm could it do? She thought. After all, no one's ever requested her before. Most people either disliked her or disregarded her completely. Why not give it a shot?

"I suppose," she said and shrugged. "What is it he wants me to do then?"

Weeks turned into months, and one request became many, each more intense than the last. Relation, growing steadily more desperate for interactions, kept Erotica in her office night and day, her sundress long removed and her hair frazzled. Erotica, at first intrigued with the whole matter, quickly became overwhelmed. One night, Erotica tried to leave, but Relation seized her wrists and held her captive. Finally, Erotica had had enough. With both wrists behind her back, Erotica headbutted Relation in the jaw, shocking the latter enough to release her.

Erotica bolted out the door without a word, out of the building, out of headquarters, and continued out of consciousness altogether. She made her way to the Cave of the Subconscious, the only place where she could remain the most hidden for the longest time. There her only company was the Oracle, who only required an occasional deposit of memory fragments for the dreams projected from the Cave each night.

Weeks became months, and months became years. Over time, each sister's memory of Erotica dwindled with each passing day, except for one. Only one could never forget, for whom one memory forever remained vivid. With her pink and yellow sundress, beige sunhat, and perennial smile, Relation continued business as usual from the outside. She discarded every request for Erotica without a passing thought. It wasn't worth the trouble to go looking for her for every fleeting request. Besides, Erotica couldn't handle the workload before anyway.

In the privacy of her office was where Relation locked away her secrets. No one had seen Erotica in years, and it was entirely her fault. One day, perhaps she could work up the courage to upend the status quo by convincing Adventure to help her find Erotica and make amends. But she had her own pair of shackles holding her back: her instinct to never rock the boat, and her firsthand experience that perpetuated Wisdom's widespread theory. After all, because of her own dealings with Erotica, Relation was the only sister living with regret.