garregmach | (no subject)

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A mist settles in over the monastery.

Is it morning? Night? Who can say? Today, the day feels endless. The sun is nowhere to be seen — or had it been at all? Instead, a curious green glow engulfs Garreg Mach, like an eternal twilight settling in. Time seems to be paused almost, though the wildlife in and around the area continues to act as though nothing is wrong. As though this is perfectly normal. As though it is natural for the skies to be dark, with not a single star in sight, and for the sun to be forgotten in the mist that lingers. The paths are at least lit by small orbs of light, fireflies flitting about.

However, should one come into contact with one of those fireflies, a memory of the past will be projected for all in the close vicinity to see. Joyous occasions, tragic events — they don't seem to discern one way or another. Perhaps it would be best to watch your step for now, though.

Of course, after lingering for about a day, the strange ambience will fade into what appears to be a normal night at Garreg Mach. It's as if nothing had happened at all. Did it? Or was it all simply a shared hallucination?

[ ● MEMSHARE POST. Coming into contact with the fireflies will share a memory of your character's with those around them. You can top-level with a memory to start out or have people tag you and determine it then, whatever. I don't make the rules (except I do and I say yolo). Have fun with it!
● Open posts like this one are flipping to a two week schedule instead of a weekly one.
● Because of the above, the last bit is there for people who'd maybe like to play out aftermath threads later on but don't want to wait for a new post or make a new one.
● Settings have been slightly updated. ]

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[OOC: I am cool with just about anything if Dimitri is okay with Flayn seeing his memories]

[By now, Dimitri has figured out what those fireflies do. He's seen things that he didn't want to see, just as he's shared things he didn't want to share — but as time passes, he can't help but wonder if he might be able to choose what he sees if he focuses on it hard enough. So he finds himself in the classroom of the Black Eagles, looking at the desk where he would often see Edelgard sitting when he passed by.

And then he reaches out, touching one of those lights on purpose.

--

It was a dreary day in Fhirdiad, cold and cloudy without a single shaft of sunlight peeping through. Dimitri snuck out to go play with El anyway, but the chill has her stopping to duck behind him at every blow of the wind, shivering (she leads the way otherwise, he doesn't mind). Eventually, he turns back toward her, looking into that very distinctive pair of light violet eyes. Even then, they were almost eerie to look upon — they were so recognizable that he knew exactly who she was when they reunited years later, even though the color of her hair had changed and she'd transformed from a cute little girl into a beautiful young woman.

"El, if you're that cold, we can play inside..."

She shakes her head, pulling her shirt up over her nose. Though she doesn't say anything, Dimitri suspects her reluctance is because her uncle is home today. He lets out a small sigh, slipping out of his own coat and draping it over her shoulders.

"Okay. Is that better?"

Edelgard looks a little surprised, but she pulls on his coat readily enough. They're roughly the same size anyway, so it fits her. "Thank you," she says as she snuggles into it, her voice similar enough to what it will become someday to be recognizable now.

It's cold without the coat, but his face is hot.

--

Dimitri doesn't seem to notice he has company, not immediately at least. He just continues to stare at the space where the scene played out, silent.]

Edited 2019-10-20 04:22 (UTC)

[Flayn had already had her own experience with the green lights. She was doing her best not to repeat them, nervous about what else it could reveal. There are things...things that she needs to keep to herself, no matter what. So, imagine her surprise when she passes by the Black Eagles classroom and sees Dimitri reaching for one of the lights of his own volition.

The scene that plays out is...sweet. Nothing like what one might expect, seeing how five years of war had worn on Dimitri. But Flayn is quiet as it happens, and when it fades...

He hasn't noticed her, it seems, but there's a pang of guilt that builds in her throat.]

Dimitri - I am sorry, I was just...passing by. I did not mean to see...

[That was his private memory, of himself and...had that been Edelgard? Her voice was too distinct for it not to be.]

[Flayn's voice startles him from his reverie. Dimitri starts, twisting to look back toward her. He relaxes slightly when he sees who it is, though he's still on edge. Flayn is unlikely to tell anyone, but even so... it feels like he's revealing something about Edelgard that he wasn't supposed to.]

Ah... no, it is not as if it was a memory I am ashamed of. Still, I would appreciate your discretion.

[If she has no idea why he might want that, then all the better, but Dimitri thinks it's glaringly obvious it was Edelgard in his memory, especially considering the desk he's at.]

Oh, of course. I will not speak of it to anyone.

[The promise comes easily enough, and will be kept. After all, Flayn knows what it's like to keep her past to herself. She would extend that discretion to everyone.]

...Still, I certainly did not mean to pry, even by accident.

It is all right.

[After a pause, he adds on hesitantly:]

How much did you see?

[Enough to know?]

[How much? Is that sort of thing quantifiable? Had there been more?

Flayn wants to at least ask the second question, but decides against it.]

...Well, I could describe it to you, but that feels a bit silly since we both did see it. But...I suppose I saw only what was shown, and nothing more.

[Is. Is that an okay answer? It is true...]

I see. So you could not hear the thoughts that I had then...?

[Namely, that Edelgard was adorable snuggled up in his coat like that. He remembers thinking that so clearly that it's entirely possible he imagined it being audible now, but still! He just has to be sure. At least it wasn't one of those times that he thought of just asking her to marry him so she didn't have to listen to her uncle anymore — he never did, thankfully. There's a vast difference between a nine-year-old and a five-year-old, and one of those differences is beginning to understand what marriage means.

If only he'd known that with Felix...]

Your thoughts? Why would I have been able to hear those?

[There's a genuine confusion there, brow furrowed and everything.]

Dimitri, I can most confidently say that I have never heard any one person's thoughts other than my own in my entire life.

I have not had anyone view my memories before, either. Is it so strange to think that the thoughts I had in those memories might have been audible? It all came from inside my head, after all...

[It makes perfect sense! Dimitri folds his arms and pouts, flushing slightly. He looks considerably younger when he's sulking.]

[It's a little sad, but also sweet, to see Dimitri acting more his own age. Or, well, close to it.]

Regardless, I could not hear them. Is it not...awkward, having the events show themselves to begin with? I think I would have had a terrible fright should my thoughts at that moment in time be heard as well.

[Sighing softly, Dimitri nods. Yes, that would have most certainly made things worse, though it's so invasive to begin with that it wouldn't be that terrible. Unfortunately, this does leave some questions unanswered, questions that he decides to go ahead and ask after a little more hesitation.]

Did you... recognize anyone in that memory?

Well, I recognized you.

[It helps that he's got the longish hair now, too.]

And it took a moment, but I did recognize your friend. Though, their presence is not any of my business.

[She won't tell anyone you and Edelgard were childhood friends.]

[Having her acknowledge it helps him relax a little. Dimitri chuckles to himself.]

I am surprised you recognized me so easily. At that age, I was often mistaken for a girl. Catherine thought as much the first time we met. I was furious then.

Is that true? I did not think that was the case myself, but I suppose if no one had your present self to compare...

[You are Right Here, after all. How could she not tell?]

[There's a world of difference between Dimitri now and Dimitri even just five years ago! Dimitri laughs again pleasantly, shaking his head. Flayn does have a way of putting him at ease...]

You say that, but when I met my younger self here, I do believe he failed to recognize me for a few moments. I wonder if he briefly thought I was my father?

Your...younger self?

[This is, uh, the first time Flayn's heard about someone's past self actually and physically showing up.]

How is that possible?!

Oh. Ah... I do not understand the particulars myself... is it that strange? If multiple timelines are crossing, it stands to reason that we may meet other versions of ourselves. I've spoken with three different Felixes, for example.

[And boy, is that fun!

Except it's not. It's really not. Felix already has some complex issues surrounding being a stand-in, and Dimitri imagines this is making it even worse. Still, it's better than hypothetically meeting older versions of himself... Dimitri shudders at the thought.]

...This is...an incredible thing that I had not considered before!

[Also, oh Goddess, somehow it makes sense? With everyone having different memories of the events they lived through, why wouldn't there be more than one of every person?

...

It's also very terrifying, please let there not be a version of her from before she was Flayn oh no-]

Incredible, yes. It is also rather frightening. I am not proud of who I was, and I am loath to think of another version of myself showing up and running his lance through anyone in his path.

[Thankfully, he doesn't think any version of himself would go out of his way to harm most of the people here. Certainly not Flayn. But Edelgard...]

...I have taken to not wearing my armor anymore since we have limited clothing, here. If you see me wearing it, I would advise you not to approach.

I...I will remember that.

[Only trust the Dimitri not in his armor, got it.]

Should I do something to identify myself to others as well?

Only if you have reason to fear that another version of yourself might be... volatile.

[Approaching Dimitri when he's not in a good state of mind is dangerous, and while Felix isn't the sort to indiscriminately attack people, he can be pretty nasty with his words. Dimitri looks to Flayn, suppressing a smile.]

I have difficulty picturing any version of you hurting people for no reason.

No, I highly doubt that would be the case...it would be more for conversational benefits.

You could always change the way you wear your hair. That style is quite distinctive, and I do not believe I have ever seen you without it.

[Because it hides her ears, of course, but Dimitri doesn't know that. He's somewhat tempted to touch it, but the thought of Seteth warping in suddenly to lop his hand off is not an appealing one. He keeps his hands to himself.]

[Oh Goddess, Seteth would drop down from the ceiling to maul him if he tried. Still, Flayn finds her hands flitting nervously to the end of one of her...uh...hair...drills? Pigtails? What do you call this style of hair?]

Ah! That is true! I do...quite prefer this particular style of hair, hahah!

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