etraya inbox

[dangerbird]

Username: JoshuaRosfield; Praeclarus;
Phoenix

leave a message

{ TEXT // VOICE // VIDEO // ACTION }

Comments

[saychocobo]

» You always let people pet your hair? I'm not saying no but - most of the time it's full of hair gel. It's not as soft as you think.

» I MIGHT'VE been told it looks like a chocobo butt before.

» In Valisthea. I figure that's a big enough question that I can get more questions about you outta the answer.

» I only like volcanoes from a distance.

» Yeah. He kinda told everybody? He commented on my vlog, guess he was feeling chatty. Where I'm from, princes turn into kings, not archdukes, so... I dunno how THAT one works. Titles are all made up anyway, don't bother explaining it.

» lol Clive already beat you to it? No actual cards involved. I got a little drunk at the party - I think he was trying to make sure I didn't help knock over ANOTHER table.

» Yeah... please don't. My old phone's got a lot of unanswered texts

» Forget I said that. they weren't read. Doesn't really count.

» It's not like that. It's too big for a text. And it's not MY life. I'm just the best friend. Gotta double duty to protect him.

» Wait. Wait. WHAT? Who said anything about slaves?? The only people who can do magic are literally the kings of Lucis? They can share it with the Kingsglaive and the Crownsguard. That's it. Nobody's enslaving anybody.

» Couple of days. After the party and the whole shopping trip. So... I already knew you before I found out. And I get it? Or - I get not telling me. But I'm pretty good at treating people normal even when I DO know who they are. How else you think somebody like me ended up friends with Prince Noctis? I treated him like a person.

» I think it's easier 'cause we don't have a Phoenix god. That helped. And - if I'm being honest, YOUR bestie is Bahamut and your brother is Ifrit. I was already starting to suspect something was up. ANYWAY yay you aren't Ramuh.

» Phoenix downs are curatives. They can bring you back from the brink of death. Kinda feels like your being reignited? Flash of fire too, after you crack open the vial and use it.

» Guess that means they don't pluck ya for them.

» For the record, I like Joshua. Almost as much as I like Prae. It's never about WHAT someone is. And you can be picky about the people who get to know you. If they argue, smack'em around with a white glove.

[dangerbird]

[ Originally Joshua thought he might step away from the missives...conversation? This communication. Because he found himself to be more upset than he might have guessed— had he thought this could have happened to begin with. He was too used to The Undying and their ways of secrecy.

He had thought to take some breathing room...but he just got done saying he wouldn't leave him hanging. And then the messages started rolling in and Joshua isn't sure he could have resisted responding if he had tried. ]

» I didn't say that. I said I would let *you* pet my hair. And I shall be the judge of how soft it is for myself.

» Is that with or without this hair gel of yours?

» This past year has been rather eventful so I am afraid a large portion of it falls outside of what used to be my regular. But before I reunited with my brother I filled my time with chasing shadows. What I mean to say is that it what it felt like. I traveled the continent with my attendant Jote looking into anything we could find on a being known as Ultima.

» It took me and my associates years to uncover his name, much less anything definitive. Most information on him seemed lost to time. To say it was a lot of rumor chasing would be disingenuous for rarely did we even have hearsay to work off of.

» So, Jote and I would travel the realm undercover in search of old ruins to investigate in hopes that we might catch even a sliver of knowledge. We would do so on foot as individual travelers were not often a point of scrutiny, at least not before the fall of the Mothercrystals.

» That was the life I led for years, yet it seems like it happened a long time ago.

» I have surprisingly complex feelings about volcanoes for someone who has never visited one.

» Dion told *everybody* I am a prince by talking about some wood you own? I don't understand the connection.

» Is that your way of refusing me a dance? My brother beat me to it and you only wish to dance with one Rosfield? I hope you know you can simply say you don't want to dance with me. I won't be terribly offended.

» I'll do my best to respond in a timely manner then. I would hate for you to get the wrong idea. Really, I'm rather enjoying our text exchange for the most part. Save for the bits where I wish I could edit them out as if it were a draft of a letter.

» We never need to talk about anything you do not wish to.

» Oh... My misunderstanding. Forget I mentioned...all of that.

» Thank you, Vesper. I would greatly appreciate it if your behavior didn't change towards me because of this. And even if it does, thank you for giving me a taste at what it is like to be normal.

» Why would you think I am Ramuh? No. Never mind, I am not certain I want to know.

» Is that what my healing felt like? Although, I don't think you were on the brink of death.

» I would like to see someone try and get that close to me.

» Then let the record also state that I like Prompto almost as much as I do Vesp.

» If they argue with my I shan't give them the time of day.

[saychocobo]

» Oh

» With. Without hair gel, it's all over the place. But it's fluffy either way.

» I'm glad you found your family again. Or he found his. Whoever was missing - that's. That's amazing.

» What, is everyone here on a quest for really important things that're lost to time even though writing down these things would've been really godsdamn important? Or drawing a freaking map?

» Not a lot in there about what you like to do when you're not investigating mysterious beings or suggesting people have special permission to pet your hair so that they start spiralling on why they're different...

» What exactly are "surprisingly complex feelings about volcanoes"? You don't have to answer if complex means depressing and not just deep. If you don't answer, you'll never hear - or read - the v word from me again.

» Huh? Oh! Nah, I don't own property. A vlog is a video posted online. So it's like you can see and hear what the person is doing? Sometimes, it's a livestream, so there's no time to edit. I did mine as a livestream - I don't know if there's an edit function on these.

» I don't actually know if I own property.

» No! I mean - it was a stupid joke I made to have a, like, verbal escape hatch for when it doesn't happen. Can't be disappointed when you've already set it up like that. Cause then you can say you already danced with the better one, and it doesn't matter that you're lying because better's subjective anyway, as long as you make it funny.

» I only promised not to lie to *you*.

» Not terribly offended's not good enough. I don't want you offended at all. How do I do that? Kinda feels like half the things I've said are going to offend you. I don't want that.

» He's *not* better.

» Thanks. I just would ... I'd worry something was wrong. Can't answer wrong; won't is fine.

» That's kinda a big ask. We never need to talk about anything *you* don't wish to, either, but now I'm worried something *else* is wrong that I never had to consider before. Because you use magic?

» I dunno if I want to ask, because there's nothing I can do if the answer's yes, and if the answer's no, then I just wasted all of this time texting about something that you said to forget about instead of actually pretending to forget.

» I don't think it's changed? I can't forget what I heard, but this - all these texts? This is how I'm treating you. And this *feels* like normal to me. From me? Whatever, this feels right. You deserve to be normal. Everyone does.

» The Ramuh thing's not *bad*. TWhen I heard about the Astrals Eikons, those were the three names I knew go together. That's all.

» Kinda? It's the closest analogy I've got, but I'd just gotten hit in the head, so I don't know how much I trust me on that.

» You *did* say I could pet your hair. I'd say petting range is plucking range, but honestly? That'd be creepy.

» Vesp is way cooler than Prompto.

» Hm. Guess I shouldn't argue with you. Maybe I wish I could go back and edit a bunch of stuff too, but I think it's worth losing the extra thought to get the texts out faster. Make it more like an actual conversation.

[dangerbird]

» You mean to say your hair requires taming? I think I would like to see what it looks like when it is unruly.

» Truth be told we were both missing. I'd found him before he found me, but distance was needed at the time, due to Ultima and his malign machinations. We were ripped apart when I was only ten.

» Are you suffering from an unseen hand as well? Perhaps we both should endeavor to write out our stories so that if anyone need follow in our footsteps they may have an easier time of it.

» It would make a certain kind of sense, I suppose, for Echo to choose people whom are already on quests to fight for their universe's survival.

» I was trying to give you ample material to ask questions about; I felt that if I sent you a novel it might not be 'text' worthy. But in sooth I really do enjoy exploring the ancient ruins. Walking places people haven't been in nigh one thousand years; seeing what they left behind, what they found value in. Even the architecture is something that captivates me.

» I wish I had one of those polaroid cameras in my world; I would show you some of the places I have seen. They are truly beautiful and captivating. All I have are the sketches I've made whilst I was there.

» You need not spiral on such things— if you don't wish to you need not worry yourself over it.

» It isn't so much depressing as anger inducing. There is a volcano on an island just west of Rosaria and it is home to the Mothercrystal Drake's Breath.

» I know I said I wouldn't go into detail about Mothercrystals in this text format, but suffice to say they are mountain-like structures made of pure crystal and they were an important resource to all nations.

» For generations Rosaria had been at war with the Iron Kingdom over ownership of Brake's Breath. The Iron Bloods are a cruel and brutal people who delight in bleeding Bearers −those who have the ability to use magic who are not Dominants− as they believe magic use to be profane. To them Dominants are abominations, but they were not above using one as a weapon of war.

» So, while the volcano itself was never a problem, the Iron Kingdom were occupying that island and always come to mind.

» Oh! Is vlog jargon for video-log, like a log book, but made in this video format? I took a look at the network and I can see what you mean about seeing and hearing. It captures life in motion, like a photograph, but even more... How utterly incredible.

» If only there were videos detailing the information we need for our quests.

» I don't own any property either.

» Is this where I spiral wondering why I am different? Why I get the privilege of you not lying to me? You don't have to say anything, just know that I feel blessed that you would make an exception of me. I shan't take advantage of it.

» I can understand wanting to dodge disappointment. However, I rarely say something I don't mean. I think you would make an excellent dance partner; your energy and zest for life would surely make even the dullest rhythm fun.

» You not wanting to offend me is more important to me than you never offending me. I'd much rather that the case because it means were it to happen I know that you would be willing to work through the upset.

» At least I hope you would. I know I would. It is my wish to not offend you, but I feel mistakes are bound to happen when getting to know someone. Just know it is never my intention to disoblige.

» He *is* better. I am very proud of him.

» What do you mean by "Can't answer wrong; won't is fine." ?

» Right. Of course, that would be a big request for anyone, I imagine. I'm just embarrassed that I had inferred your royals to be slaves.

» It wasn't my intention to give you such an impression of me. Our realm holds Dominants in a higher position of respect, at least for the most part. Still, our fates are similar in the end. But no, I was never enslaved.

» Reading that is like a balm to my soul. You have my immense gratitude. I am enjoying conversing with you as thus; it also feels right. Well, it is new and far faster than I am used to with written communication, but it's good. The way you compose your texts is most similar to how you talk; I can hear your voice when I read your missives. It's easy to imagine.

» As you wrote, it feels much more like a conversation one would have when in each others' presence.

» I trust you not to pluck me. Besides, for you to be able to pet my hair I wouldn't have any feathers out. You would get burned otherwise.

» They are both someone I happen to be fond of.

[saychocobo]

» Why would you want to see it messy? Do I have to wake up at 5 to do my hair because you're gonna come over earlier and earlier before you wake me up knocking on the door? It's really not great and usually goes with me being barely awake.

» You know I've got questions, but I think for now, I'll just say I'm sorry that happened to you. And to him.

» I don't know if "unseen hand" is the right word. Maybe there's not *one* right word. we've got the current known problem - the Niffs - and the lost to time mysteries. Not really an unseen hand there either? Everyone who could've helped us more is dead or long dead.

» Yeah. It just feels like - when is it going to be enough? Which isn't really a question I want answered, and OBVIOUSLY I want to help however I can. We've already lost so much.

» Texts are supposed to be for lighter things. Your autobiography should one of those handwritten leatherbound books. *Tomes*. As illuminated as it is illuminating.

» Oh, see. You could totally put together an illuminated manuscript. I bet your sketches are beautiful and captivating, too. You should show me them sometime. I'd let you look through my photos, too, if you wanted.

» I don't have to spiral, but I want to? I don't understand what I did different, with you. There's gotta be something I did right with you and Noct that's like - the missing piece.

» Your crystal's the size of a mountain? That must be hard to protect.

» I hate the Iron Bloods. For the record. I'm allowed to judge them on hearsay cause I'm never gonna meet them.

» Yeah, a vlog is - exactly that actually. You're not gonna need me to explain tech much longer if you keep putting it together like that. But I think text is superior to vlogs most of the time. It's not as much pressure.

» Videos would make things easier, maybe, but you'd be at the mercy of the cinematography and narration skills of the person who made the video. It could leave you more confused than you were when you clicked play if they explain everything in metaphors and all the metaphors fell out of use 1900 years ago.

» I won't let you spiral. I promised you I wouldn't lie because you were kinda crashing out about some nonexistent thing you'd done or said wrong. To me. I know how that *feels*, so I told you I wouldn't lie to you. Because then you never have to wonder where you stand with me. It was... I thought it was the only ammo I had for making you trust me when I said that you hadn't done anything wrong.

» When I say "lie", I don't mean that I *lie* to everyone. I filter. Like I do to a photo. Make a picture into what I want it to be. Like you do with a sketch, I bet you pick just the right perspective. Go in from the right angle. Change the lighting.

» But I'm trying not to do that with you. Even if it gets awkward.

» Like... now. You can ask me to dance if we're ever at the same party again.

» Good thing for you I'm already totally housetrained in working past accidentally upsetting people and not offending them. Pretty good at being minimally invasive, too.

» I wish I could say it's never gonna happen, but - we both know that your world and mine are more different than alike. It's gonna happen eventually, I give you a thumbs up or something and it turns out that's the most offensive you can do in front of a Rosarian.

» You can be proud of him all you like. Opinions are subjective, and I say you're better. Maybe it's vanity. At the party, when you thought I was afraid of you? Or that you'd offended me? I... do that too? I do something like that. I don't handle indifference great - sorry I just got done saying texts are for inconsequential things and that I won't filter, but does it count as filtering if I just... can't stop deleting things before I send them and maybe this is better for an actual conversation, if ever.

» I meant you can't answer me wrong, and if you won't answer, that's fine too. I... it's just more things I wish people would tell me. But maybe you're not like me and it's all just wishful thinking.

» I wasn't *offended* - I just didn't want you to embarrass yourself by asking HIM if he was enslaved. And I was really confused, like I said - they're the only ones with inherent magic. To hear about a place where it's *not* locked up in one bloodline favored by the gods? And that they're treated like shit? I like to think of myself as an egalitarian monarchist - and no, that's not an oxymoron - I was offended *for them*, too. The ones being enslaved and *bled* for something that they were born into. Like - they didn't ask for that. Maybe it's too much for them, even before everyone else starts piling on, but I guess I'm the only one that bothers with empathy.

» What do you mean, similar in the end? If you weren't enslaved, you're clearly educated, you're nobleborn and other nobles think highly of you so - is this some philosophical "we all die eventually" thing?

» Dion's not an Iron Blood, is he? Bahamut's associated with iron in Eos.

» A balm to your soul? You missed your calling as a poet, traipsing around through archeological dig sites. It only reads like me because I do it fast - so what you read is what's in my head, as fast as I can get it out. Plus - I use voice-to-text.

» Big fan of not getting burned? ...right, Warden of Flame, Phoenix. I follow. Bigger fan of not over-aggravating my friends, though. It's one thing to needle someone to get a rise out of them, but only if everybody's laughing at the end. If anybody's not, then it's not a friendly joke: it's just mean. I think plucking'd cross a major line.

[dangerbird]

» Is it so strange to want to see your hair in its natural state? But thank you for telling me how I might stumble upon such a fine visage.

» Thank you, Vesp.

» I have questions also, but I think you are right in that I too will say I'm sorry you and your friends are going through such a difficult time.

» They're supposed to be for lighter things? Oh...I had not known that. I'll be certain to keep my missives' contents to less serious discussions.

» Handwritten...as opposed to foot?

» I never felt like I had time to write an autobiography before, perhaps that is something I can do with my spare time here in Etraya. But, when you say "illuminated manuscript" are you referring to some sort of glowing tome?

» I would be happy to show you my sketches, although I am uncertain if they do the sights I visited justice. But I'd be more than happy to see the photographs you've taken.

» Your words are mysterious, but I wish you luck in this endeavor.

» For both good and ill they are hard to protect. There is one that has darkened Etraya, actually.

» Hopefully you never encounter them; each of them that I have come across has been very unpleasant. Which is mainly warriors and priests, mind you.

» Really? I would imagine video communication to be less pressure...not as much time to think and doubt what I have written.

» ...What year is it where you are from?

» It worked. I do trust you. And I understand what you mean by filter, I think. You are referring to the removal of inconvenient truths and darker emotions...?

» This may be treading terribly close to heavier topics, but I do have a habit of filtering out my sadness, or things which others may find upsetting.

» Would you...prefer it if I did not do that with you? I could try and match you in being filterless. But I warn you now to truly consider it. You may find what I carry to be more heavy than you imagine it to be. There would be no shame or judgement from me if you didn't wish to hear of such things.

» I look forward to that dance.

» Oh! Should I be minimally invasive with you too? I feel as if with all the questions I ask I must be at least mildy invasive.

» This is where I admit to not knowing what a "thumbs up" is.

» Texts are for inconsequential things and not just light subjects...I am indeed not very good at this...

» I'm uncertain I would call that vanity but rather finding comfort in having this in-common with each other.

» What you describe might've counted as filtering, but since you followed the question up with expressing it being a difficult topic I think it renders it more genuine. You can always opt to not speak of something if you do not wish to; it is my hope that I have not pressured you into disclosing something which you'd rather not.

» Oh. It's a more succinct way of saying what I just attempted to in my previous text missive. This is what I get for not reading ahead of what I am answering, I suppose. Anyway, I appreciate and share the sentiment. Can't answer wrong; won't is fine with me also.

» I'm glad I didn't offend and I thank you for saving me from making a fool of myself in front of your friend.

» And your shock must be similar to my own, hearing the bearers of your world are the royal line. I'm relieved to hear they aren't treated ill just because they were born with magical abilities. The term 'egalitarian monarchist' has a nice ring to it, although I think I fall more on the egalitarian side.

» Would that others had your depth of empathy.

» I speak of the price of wielding magic: the crystals' curse. You must not have many examples of it being that magic usage is very limited where you're from. If you have wish to know more it's better explained in person.

» No, he isn't an Iron Blood. Dion is from the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, making him Sanbrequois.

» I know not what you mean by "dig site", but I do not think I could have made it as a bard around old ruins- for many reasons. I don't think I have the voice or the lungs for that, not to mention most ancient ruins tend to be abandoned and thusly no one to perform for.

» And how does one utilize their voice for drafting text missives?

» I like your philosophy about jokes, although I must admit I make some exceptions. Namely when teasing my brother, but thus is my right.

[saychocobo]

» I don't know?? No one's ever asked before and - fine, I'll go without gel next time I see you just please don't wake me up at 5 am.

» Thanks, Prae.

» No, don't. I don't mind. I just didn't want to dump on you.

» As opposed to typed. Like what you see on the HUD. There are machines that will print it on paper. Machines to bind the books too.

» No, they don't glow. They're illustrated. *Heavily* illustrated - borders, ornate colored letters at the start of new chapters that are like 10 times the size of the rest of the writing, basically anything you can do with ink on paper. Actually, I think they're vellum or something fancy?

» Great news: I haven't seen the places you've visited. I'm impossible to let down.

» ... there's a crystal *here*? Where?

» If you're doing something on video, you gotta watch out for your expressions and movement and tone. It's not just the words.

» M.E. 756? But how would our modern era line up with yours, if Rosaria doesn't exist to joing Lucis and Tenebrae in adopting the same calendar?

» Good. And - yeah, that. It makes some things easier because - like you said. It avoids upsetting others.

» I'd prefer you do what works for you. Just because *I'm* doing sit doesn't mean you have, but just because I'm saying this doesn't mean I don't want you to talk about what you need to talk about. I'm not gonna balk if things get heavy. That'd be such a shitty thing to do to a friend. My door's always open.

» Metaphorically. My door is actually always locked.

» No shame or judgment if you talk about them... or if you don't. But now that I know that you do the same thing - kinda need you to tell me now if I should let it slide if I catch you at it, or if you want me to call you out on it?

» ... yeah. Yeah, me too.

» Why would I want you to be minimally invasive? It's more than not asking questions; it's about... I never really tried to explain it before, but I try to know where the boundaries are and keep well clear of them? Like I know what my role is in people's lives and stick to it. I wouldn't wish that on anyone - invade away.

» Incoming.

[ An image with a thumbs up follows. ]

» So the hand sign I'm doing there? It means like hey good job, nice one, or generic approval? Sometimes it's just yes, or an acknowledgment? But it's either always positive ... or it's sarcastic.

» You're doing great. I'm not gonna judge you and nobody else can see this.

» It's a *little* vain. Finding comfort in having that in common means finding comfort in someone suffering through the same same hangups. I don't want to be like that.

» You didn't pressure me into disclosing anything because ... I didn't disclose anything? We're good.

» Psst. It's just "previous text." You don't need to add missive. 😉

» Anytime. I'm the only fool around here.

» ... there's going to be a Lucian king who can rid the world of the daemons and starscourge and they wore themselves out for generations keeping Insomnia safe. Kinda hard to *not* be a monarchist, even if you think everyone should be treated the same.

» I don't know what you mean by the crystal's curse. Do you mean the prophecy or the ... wearing out?

» No, not a bard. A bard can be a poet, but a poet doesn't need to be a bard. Some of them just write poetry. No singing or public speaking needed. Then people can read it whenever they want.

» Tell you what - you come over tomorrow morning, I won't put gel in my hair until you're here, and then I can show you how it works rather than try to explain by text.

» I wouldn't know. I'm an only child. I don't think my parents could have kids - they adopted me when I was about one. Guess I drove them nuts because they didn't adopt any more.

[dangerbird]

» Then we have an accord. I shan't awaken you at five in the morning. Do you have a strict routine you adhere to?

[Joshua, in fact, is a not an early riser; he hates waking up before the sun. ]

» It sounds as if your world has a diverse variety of machines. There are no such advancements in Valisthea, so in a sense you are correct. All books are handwritten leatherbound tomes. One must hire a scribe if their handwriting not be legible enough for the wider populace. Not that there are a great many who know how to read and write. But Clive is changing that.

» An illustrated memoir? It would be enjoyable to put my sketches and references within it, although to make any copies would prove difficult, what with the nature of it being handwritten and hand-drawn.

» Originally I hadn't been worrying about letting you down, but rather of you getting to see the beauty of the places I have been. Would that I could bring you to them, if that were something you'd be inclined towards.

» Yes, the Mothercrystal Drake's Spine is located off of the island of Purple Windy. It's hidden behind Ravenwit Walls and the castle Stonhyrr. All three of these places are from my world. I know not how they got here. Use great caution if you choose to approach that area, I am told there are behemoths dwelling within.

» That is a fair question. I only ask because you made reference to something having occurred 1900 years ago. We're in the year 878. I had assumed your world to have been around for more years than ours what with the advancement in machines it has too.

» Thank you, Vesp, you seem to be a very considerate man. Then I shall endeavor to be to also not filter with you. Speaking with you is easy and quite comfortable— I hope it is the same for you.

» With this in mind: yes, please call me out should you catch me at it.

» If you wouldn't wish being minimally invasive on others, why do you hold such skill in it? The way you wrote of it I thought it to be a desired trait of yours. Please feel free to invade upon my life as well; if I haven't made that crystal clear already.

» I can safely say that is not a gesture we have in Rosaria. In truth I've not seen it anywhere in Valisthea. Thank you for teaching it to me some of your culture.

» One can find comfort in understanding each another without it meaning you are glad they are suffering similarly to you. At least...it makes *me* feel less alone, so maybe it's that which I am finding comfort in. Maybe I am projecting.

» 🫢

» You have alerted me to the existence of these little yellow faces.

» But I haven't witnessed you behaving in a manner befitting a fool?

» It sounds like your royalty actively serve their people. That is the way it should be; those with power have a duty to protect their people and do whatever they can to ease their burdens.

» I would not have thought to describe it as thus, but the wearing out. We'd not had any prophecies on Storm, although there was one in Ash. We've only just learned of that recently though and we've been laboring to ensure it doesn't come to fruition.

» Having machines that will print your writing and bind it for you must make it a lot easier to get one's poetry into the hands of others.

» Are you certain? I wish not to interrupt any plans you might have. But if you are I shall be there. I look forward to it.

» What was it like being an only child? I can't imagine a life without Clive.

[saychocobo]

» It's not super strict, but I try to get up with the sun and get a run in. I don't wanna fall into using "but I got taken to another world" as an excuse for bad habits. I did it the first week. Didn't feel great.

» Machines'll happen eventually. Most of the people here seem to have them. Then maybe someday, someone'll finally put your illustrated memoir on a real printing press. They can do that you know - type up all the words, copy the drawings. I could probably type it up for you in a couple of weeks if I had a desktop computer.

» I'd like that. I don't think you can do it, it'd be more interesting than being stuck here.

» Gonna guess you don't mean taking me to any of *those* places, if it's being used as a behemoth lair. And yeah definitely not going by myself. We've got behemoths too. I'll get Noct and Gladio to go with me if I decide I wanna risk my neck just to find the *wrong* crystal. As curious as I am to see to part of *your* world, enh. Not that part.

» It has? Maybe. Like I said, there was a treaty between the biggest nations to start using the same calendar, so instead of picking one country's calendar and making everybody use it, they started a new one and started counting with 1.

» Yeah, it's easy talking to you. Don't worry I'm not gonna try and unpack why.

» Because it means knowing when to make yourself small and inobtrusive? Like so you won't be a bother to the people around you. "Minimally invasive" sounds like a good thing, though, but when you think about why someone'd be good at it...

» You're not projecting. Pretty much nailed it.

» Emojis and thumbs up. Yeah. I'm teaching you some real high class culture. You wanna learn about magazines and video games next?

» 🐣 There's more than little yellow faces but try not to send me more than five in a row. I'm pretty good at figuring out the meaning of strings of emojis, but I like the way you string together a sentence better.

» You haven't seen me playing the fool? Ugh I've been slacking. I'll get right on that after I finish answering your texts.

» I don't know how else to describe it. The king is was only 50, but he looked older, started using a cane not too long ago. It's gotta be a lot, keeping up a Wall around a city all day and all night. Like the dome shield they've got here, but not too much like it. I'd be pretty pissed if they've got someone powering it here. I think it's tech - made by machines. New fear unlocked.

» Probably has a lot to do with how many of us can read and write, too. I guess I kinda take it for granted. My life's probably easy compared to yours.

» What plans? I don't have plans. There's nothing to do here except wait to get a chance to prove ourselves. Prove that the world's worth saving. Or to think about how *I* can possibly do *that*. I think being from a world with an empire that's hell bent on ripping the world apart and doesn't care how many people die along the way... it's a lot to convince an AI to ignore when she's deciding which worlds get to keep spinning. Oh or practicing with a bone dagger because "faes don't like iron" so that's really gonna make me be useful and feel safe. So distract me.

» Lonely. But I don't know if it always is, or if it's all in the extenuating circumstances.