[ Text would make this so much easier to review his own responses, alas. That safety net is GONE.
He still takes a pause to consider his words. ]
With respect to not compromising our timelines more than they have already been, we were in the west exploring a world often cut off to Eorzea and her neighbors.
[ Ah, figures. The hesitation in his voice of all things is what makes her smile. She's well aware how strange that is.
Over the line, she hums. It doesn't take long before she responds. She's jumping ahead a few topics, but she knows she can trust him to keep up. ( And if he doesn't, well — she'll answer all the questions he has. That much she owes him. How many secrets has he been forced to keep, now? ) ] It's strange. I can recall all of it now, but I had no recollection of this place while I was in Tural.
Our bodies having restrictions was expected — it's not as though Ardbert had much of anything the last hundred years — but what's filtering our memories? And only one way?
[ His ears and eyes perk up immediately at the mention of Tural. It's a breath of fresh air, something current, but with that bit of relief brings a new puzzle...
Why can she suddenly remember this? Questions that Aria, unsurprisingly, brings up before he even has the opportunity to. ]
What do you mean, "only one way"? In that you have gained access to memories rather than lost them?
Mmhm. [ With a nod he can't see from her end of the line. ]
I was driving in the Fringes when I ... "left", we'll say. Spent a few weeks in Tural. I saw— [ She stops herself here, eyes narrowing from the other side. ] Oh.
We cannot compromise our timelines, because we won't recall this once we return. [ ... ] Huh.
[ The line is silent for a moment, but it's likely a silence that Aria is used to—the kind that follows when G'raha is quickly processing several thoughts at once. ]
You mean...either you gained memories of a future self or you entered some sort of diffusion zone and turned back to Etheirys and experienced a new flow of time without any recollection of what had already occurred here? In either case?
[ It's a bit of rephrasing, but he speaks with increasing speed as he goes along. His heart is racing. ]
[ That's — yeah, that's about right. The laughter out of her is entirely uncontrollable. Bordering on hysterical. All those months, and—
It's fine. They figured it out now, haven't they? ] Gods. What a mess. [ While she sounds like she should be saying what a relief. But that's par the course for her. ]
No, alright. In light of this new information— now will you tell me what you recall from home?
[ It should be impossible. Of all the things that they've retained over their journey, it's always been everything that came prior. One of the few constants ( as he had said, himself; though maybe not with something like this in mind— )
He brings up Alexandria. She takes it, and then ups the ante. ]
[ Silence on the line. Then some more rustling; a little clatter at the end, like the surface of the phone has hit something hard ( her horns; she swapped the phone to the other side of her head and it hit her horns ). She's getting a clearer picture, maybe. ] Does living Living Memory ring a bell? What d'you last remember from there?
[ He's not sure what to think at first—is she alright? But then Aria continues to speak, so she must be. ]
It does, yes. The last I recall we were able to identify the person who has been causing trouble in Alexandria since shutting down the Meso Terminal. Someone named "Calyx".
[ She's fine. Her horn has definitely banged into worse.
There's a little bit of silence as she tries to recall the timeline of events; all of it happened within the span of ( redacted ), at most. There's a part of her still trying to sort through the memories from back home with the memories here. The whole thing is fascinating but also a bit of a disaster.
But eventually— ] We found him. He's was a part of the terminal. Preserved his consciousness at the cost of his body. [ Then the rest of the details, as clear and — well — detailed as can be given the circumstances. His defeat, his "death", the departure of Erenville and the twins, and the discovery of Living Memory being the path between the Ninth and the Source. Treno, the Milallas, Doom Train, Krile's family. The context behind the key. ]
I'd say you haven't missed much, but— [ She laughs a little. ]
[ G'raha listens with an unsurprising intensity. There's the sound of a few things falling as he scrambles to get his notes out and together. He pits Aria on speaker so he can write more easily while she recounts. ]
Wicked White...the selfsame technology used to preserve the lost instead to further his own designs. And other pieces of the Ninth that survived!
[ G'raha lets out a breathy, but excited laugh. ]
Adventure never ceases to find you, my friend. And we have yet another Reflection now at our fingertips...
[ It's like clockwork — she hears the papers, and the speed in which she speaks slows, just enough so that he can keep up. Changes the tone of her voice between the extraneous details she knows he'd want to hear but wouldn't want to record, then the critical pieces that she knows he'll make note of.
It's not the first time they've done this, after all. Won't be the last, either. She shifts in her seat until she's leaning against the back of her chair, properly. Leans back even further in an attempt to stretch out her back. Falls quiet for a moment, a hum instead of any proper reply, before she licks her lips and— ]
[ She doesn't know about that; in the grand scheme of things, being stuck in the Diadem's a pretty shitty adventure. Turning into crystal ( again ) is worse. All of these things are completely out of her control. It's just—
There's something about G'raha — kind and well-meaning and earnest — that she knows he means what he said without an inch of doubt. Sounds as fond as he is. And it's not that she dislikes any of it, it's just — a lot, you know? To know that someone looks at her with a kind of admiration that she not sure she entirely deserves, especially from someone like him. And she knows it's not her place to say, that he's not without his flaws, and he's welcome to think what he wants of it. Of her. She's just never certain what to do with it.
( It is nice, though. To be able to hear that she is, and not have to doubt it. )
But the conversation moves on. She sits back up again, crossing her ankle so that one's on top of another. ] The odds of things working out the way they did... [ She exhales, the breath almost a laugh. ] Maybe it shouldn't be so surprising anymore.
[ A beat. The next exhale's definitely a chuckle. ] At this rate, we're going to end up with family members on all the shards.
Urianger would certainly have something to say of it.
[ Fate, mayhap. But G'raha sees it more as a series of opportunities lining up due to action or inaction. Many things would not have occurred had Aria not become involved. He can see why similar players may, indeed, make it seem like fate. G'raha is simply happy to be in her orbit to see these adventures up close.
As for family members...there's a pause on his end of the line. Not all family is blood, of course, and he never intended to start one on the First. But there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't think of Lyna and how she is doing. She's strong and capable and so much more than what he raised her. He knows she is well.
But he would love to see her again. ]
Would that we could all be so lucky? [ And he means it. ] I admit that this free travel between the Source and the Ninth, as well as the strides Y'shtola and the Hannish alchemists made on the Thirteenth has me hoping.
[ Even if he can't see it, she makes a face anyway. ( Or ... probably because he can't. ) He probably would, wouldn't he? Despite it though — she can't help but wonder how nice it'd be to hear it again here. Stamps the thought down just as quickly as it came up, for the implications of what that'd mean.
Surely enough of them are here, at this point. Enough people will be dragged into — whatever the fuck this is.
It's fine. Back to the conversation. She hums. ] We can look into it when we're back. Shale mentioned there was progress with the key's decryption, so that may be another avenue. [ You know, with the classic Warrior of Light confidence. ( When they're back, not if. Another avenue, like that's a given. ) ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He still takes a pause to consider his words. ]
With respect to not compromising our timelines more than they have already been, we were in the west exploring a world often cut off to Eorzea and her neighbors.
no subject
Over the line, she hums. It doesn't take long before she responds. She's jumping ahead a few topics, but she knows she can trust him to keep up. ( And if he doesn't, well — she'll answer all the questions he has. That much she owes him. How many secrets has he been forced to keep, now? ) ] It's strange. I can recall all of it now, but I had no recollection of this place while I was in Tural.
Our bodies having restrictions was expected — it's not as though Ardbert had much of anything the last hundred years — but what's filtering our memories? And only one way?
no subject
Why can she suddenly remember this? Questions that Aria, unsurprisingly, brings up before he even has the opportunity to. ]
What do you mean, "only one way"? In that you have gained access to memories rather than lost them?
no subject
I was driving in the Fringes when I ... "left", we'll say. Spent a few weeks in Tural. I saw— [ She stops herself here, eyes narrowing from the other side. ] Oh.
We cannot compromise our timelines, because we won't recall this once we return. [ ... ] Huh.
no subject
You mean...either you gained memories of a future self or you entered some sort of diffusion zone and turned back to Etheirys and experienced a new flow of time without any recollection of what had already occurred here? In either case?
[ It's a bit of rephrasing, but he speaks with increasing speed as he goes along. His heart is racing. ]
This...Aria, this changes everything!
no subject
It's fine. They figured it out now, haven't they? ] Gods. What a mess. [ While she sounds like she should be saying what a relief. But that's par the course for her. ]
No, alright. In light of this new information— now will you tell me what you recall from home?
no subject
[ Months of secrecy, but also it brings in an entirely different factor to how they may need to depart this place...
Gods, where do they begin?
—Right, right. They begin at the beginning. ]
Yes, of course. If you are aware of Tural, have you yet to venture into Alexandria?
no subject
He brings up Alexandria. She takes it, and then ups the ante. ]
Yeah. [ A beat. ] Have you been to Treno?
no subject
No, I have not. [ Another beat as he tries to connect the dots between his offer and hers. ] —Is this...another piece of the Ninth?
no subject
[ Silence on the line. Then some more rustling; a little clatter at the end, like the surface of the phone has hit something hard ( her horns; she swapped the phone to the other side of her head and it hit her horns ). She's getting a clearer picture, maybe. ] Does living Living Memory ring a bell? What d'you last remember from there?
no subject
It does, yes. The last I recall we were able to identify the person who has been causing trouble in Alexandria since shutting down the Meso Terminal. Someone named "Calyx".
no subject
There's a little bit of silence as she tries to recall the timeline of events; all of it happened within the span of ( redacted ), at most. There's a part of her still trying to sort through the memories from back home with the memories here. The whole thing is fascinating but also a bit of a disaster.
But eventually— ] We found him. He's was a part of the terminal. Preserved his consciousness at the cost of his body. [ Then the rest of the details, as clear and — well — detailed as can be given the circumstances. His defeat, his "death", the departure of Erenville and the twins, and the discovery of Living Memory being the path between the Ninth and the Source. Treno, the Milallas, Doom Train, Krile's family. The context behind the key. ]
I'd say you haven't missed much, but— [ She laughs a little. ]
no subject
Wicked White...the selfsame technology used to preserve the lost instead to further his own designs. And other pieces of the Ninth that survived!
[ G'raha lets out a breathy, but excited laugh. ]
Adventure never ceases to find you, my friend. And we have yet another Reflection now at our fingertips...
no subject
It's not the first time they've done this, after all. Won't be the last, either. She shifts in her seat until she's leaning against the back of her chair, properly. Leans back even further in an attempt to stretch out her back. Falls quiet for a moment, a hum instead of any proper reply, before she licks her lips and— ]
I'm making pretty good on our promise, aren't I?
no subject
As you ever do.
[ He taps his pen to his chin as he skims the notes. ]
Though it heartens to hear that Krile can be reunited with her living family, if removed. After waiting for so long, she certainly deserves it.
no subject
There's something about G'raha — kind and well-meaning and earnest — that she knows he means what he said without an inch of doubt. Sounds as fond as he is. And it's not that she dislikes any of it, it's just — a lot, you know? To know that someone looks at her with a kind of admiration that she not sure she entirely deserves, especially from someone like him. And she knows it's not her place to say, that he's not without his flaws, and he's welcome to think what he wants of it. Of her. She's just never certain what to do with it.
( It is nice, though. To be able to hear that she is, and not have to doubt it. )
But the conversation moves on. She sits back up again, crossing her ankle so that one's on top of another. ] The odds of things working out the way they did... [ She exhales, the breath almost a laugh. ] Maybe it shouldn't be so surprising anymore.
[ A beat. The next exhale's definitely a chuckle. ] At this rate, we're going to end up with family members on all the shards.
no subject
[ Fate, mayhap. But G'raha sees it more as a series of opportunities lining up due to action or inaction. Many things would not have occurred had Aria not become involved. He can see why similar players may, indeed, make it seem like fate. G'raha is simply happy to be in her orbit to see these adventures up close.
As for family members...there's a pause on his end of the line. Not all family is blood, of course, and he never intended to start one on the First. But there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't think of Lyna and how she is doing. She's strong and capable and so much more than what he raised her. He knows she is well.
But he would love to see her again. ]
Would that we could all be so lucky? [ And he means it. ] I admit that this free travel between the Source and the Ninth, as well as the strides Y'shtola and the Hannish alchemists made on the Thirteenth has me hoping.
we can start angling for 🎀?
Surely enough of them are here, at this point. Enough people will be dragged into — whatever the fuck this is.
It's fine. Back to the conversation. She hums. ] We can look into it when we're back. Shale mentioned there was progress with the key's decryption, so that may be another avenue. [ You know, with the classic Warrior of Light confidence. ( When they're back, not if. Another avenue, like that's a given. ) ]