The moment the cosmic guardian manifested with the complex mixture of pride and concern that characterized someone who had been waiting to examine whether the Next Generation would prove worthy of universal responsibility, Shia felt her nature as the Eternal Mother stir with recognition that transcended every understanding she had developed about the nature of maternal guidance. This wasn't just a test of the tri-state balance—it was a test of whether she could evolve beyond protective control into something that might have been true wisdom.
The time had come for the Mother's ultimate transformation.