[Ah, shit. Although, really, Angeal was expecting for this to come sooner or later with him living with all the rest of them. It's been a good stretch considering that, really, although not unsurprising considering how this Sephiroth constantly needs to be out of the house and all that.]
[There's maybe a brief minute before an answer starts to carefully form along stone.]
It's been only a couple of years, at this point... but it didn't predate the sim, unfortunately. Maybe a lot of things would have changed for the better in that case.
You probably have a lot of questions. I'll answer what I can, although I might pass on a few things just because, well... I'm not the only person involved in all of this.
[The other Sephiroth, at the very least, would deserve a say, depending on the question.]
[There's a languid spiral of clamshell ripples down one side. Eventually:]
You are both adults and may choose to act as you wish, I merely want a good estimate for how much time I have to get used to the idea of touching anyone in that fashion.
It sounds as if I will have the better part of a decade, thankfully.
I may never meet your younger self. And if Portal doesn't erase my memories I am not sure meeting him knowing it'll end in that will help. I apologize if it is offensive but intimacy is repellant.
Refers to a saying about being in water, I can tell you about it later.
And it's fine. I think you'll meet me still. I'm pretty stubborn at all ages, and I think we'll always find you no matter what. Ask Genesis about this sort of thing next if you want a real romantic's point of view.
But you know, when you say 'intimacy is repellant', what kinds of intimacy are we talking about? Just physical?
I find it best to not plan for a future that may not occur. My other self seems to think it will be best if I never return at all.
If there are other kinds of intimacy, I have not been made aware of them. My education on the physical has been thorough. But if dancing counts, I'm not really into that either, though I can if I must.
Just don't want to get too off-track with a linguistic discussion, that's all.
And I can see why he would say that. Things get rough for all of us, and I won't pretend that our lives haven't been for the better now that we've all been far away from Midgar and ShinRa.
Still. Knowing you has always made any Angeal Hewley's life better, and I'll stick to that belief no matter what.
Knowing what I know of your life, I guess that's not too surprising. But romance isn't just about the physical. Emotional intimacy is more important than that by bounds, although they can tie together and often do.
[There's one word in this that has little daisies and sparkles drawn around it.
It reeks of scorn.]
My concern is the physical. ~*~feelings~*~ don't come with swapping bodily fluids.
Though it is not exactly pleasant to know everyone knows more about my life than I do, but nobody will tell me 'for my own good' with the exception that Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos exist, and it is the only thing I have to look forward to.
It makes the trajectory of my existence rather clear.
[God. He really was so cute at this stage. Angeal is having flashbacks and it's a little hard to stay on track with those memories on him.]
[Right, right, focus.]
I can imagine. Although at least in my defense, it's more that I don't want to step on a certain someone else's toes. This concerns Sephiroth, after all - both of you. And I don't want him to feel like he's being ignored either.
They really don't teach you how to deal with this kind of thing in school, do they?
Although... I might be able to tell you about something else to do with your life. He might not be able to complain about the other futures that I know, too.
What will occur, besides this immediate issue, is less of a concern. I suppose it's only a matter of finding methods of desensitization.
[He is very much concerned about the fact that everything is being very carefully filtered and that it didn't bode well, but it's also true that the more immediate concern is being certain he doesn't get less than a month to prepare for exactly how gross human bodies could be. PRIORITIES.]
Glad to see that your priorities are in order. But I simply thought that since you were uncomfortable with people knowing about you, having a little information yourself might make you feel better.
Well, the offer is always on the table. You know where to find me if you ever have any other questions. I'll always be honest with you.
It's no problem at all. If you ever ask, I'll always do my best to answer the things that I know.
And awwwww. Even if it's bait, sometimes the end result isn't so bad, you know. I mean, people sometimes have to bait themselves into nice situations all the time. Makes doing annoying things all the more easier.
I'll have to prove that to you while we're all stuck living here, you know.
This is Emet-Selch. Whilst I'm more than amenable to scheduling Mithrun's next appointment, I am contacting you with an inquiry about Professor Eisner.
I have been told you know him personally. Is this correct?
While I've no reason to believe he would choose to lie intentionally, I am looking to confirm the validity of his statements, yes.
From what I understand, the catalyst for him receiving this knowledge in the first place was the result of fae magicks. Even if he was a part of this "Simulation" originally, there is no way for those of us outside of it to determine whether or not these memories - as they were presented to him - are entirely factual in nature.
Consider the distortions and exaggerations one might expect of dreams, of illusions. The fae I'm familiar with are easily capable of such feats.
Well, it's not as if I'm doubting that fae magicks can pull some nonsense and might not be completely accurate. I'll accept they're a risk.
However, unless I were to start suddenly sharing memories with him on everything that the pond made him aware of, I'm not exactly sure how you want me to validate things completely. All I can tell you is this much:
I knew a Byleth Eisner in the Amani Simulation, who had been there before me and was so successful in what was requested of him that he was able to found an entire library for everyone's benefit. He knew a good couple of your Convocation. Intimately.
I only knew you passingly, in contrast.
Which is why he's been able to not grate too much against Emet in turn, probably. An acquaintance is still the same, even in another world.
[Perhaps it all sounds accusatory, as if Emet-Selch is trying to put off most of the blame onto the fae and convince everyone that Byleth's account isn't real. Though the truth of it is much simpler: he cannot fathom a world in which it could be real, despite Angeal being the second person to support the tale. Oh, he can accept the Amani Simulation existed. The part he can't accept is this other him's role in it all. Even if that world facilitated the relationships described to him, that he would ever in a million years allow himself to-]
[Even so, there's something about Angeal's words that ring true. Well can he imagine some other version of Byleth setting up a library for all to use. His own experiences, after all, paint him as an inquisitive and oddly caring individual despite his distinct lack of affect. The festival alone has proven that much.]
I'm well aware that it would be impossible to expect validation for every single claim that has been made (not to mention distinctly uncomfortable for all parties involved).
What you have shared is sufficient.
It was Byleth himself who suggested that I reach out to you for clarification, and what you have said matches with Elidibus's assertions.
Frankly, less uncomfortable than you would think. In a lot of ways, that place encouraged a certain degree of openness, and some things that would have one's shame strangle them in their sleep didn't have such a great impact. I'll say it was "interesting".
[quotes on purpose.]
Still, glad to help, although I wonder if it's really sufficient enough. It's not like I know what it's sufficient FOR, after all. If you've already spoken to Elidibus, I would think that would be enough to dispel an idea that Byleth is lying.
[He'll ignore the comment about Elidibus's word being enough. While, yes, he would be able to tell if his colleague were telling him falsehoods, there are ways around such assurances. He wants to be certain. Mayhap some part of him is holding out for a revelation that would make it impossible for him to argue against the startling truth. But that is for him to mull over.]
It certainly seems "interesting". Though beyond that, not the sort of place I would consider for an extended holiday.
As to what my inquiries are for, I simply wanted to speak to those with first-hand experiences within the Simulation. Cross-referencing, if you will. Much of what I have heard has sounded - to put it plainly - unbelievable regardless of the information's source.
[More days than not, Sephiroth's absences from 'home' ends in him returning with an array of small game animals, skinned and cleaned. Rabbits, squirrels, the occasional fox. Left carefully packed for Angeal to find. Free proteins!!
[Hey, free protein is free protein! And they're all handy little meat, too, even if it might take a particularly fat squirrel for a proper meal.... especially in a house full of guys as big as them, and one very hungry teenager.]
[But when he's handing over the usual lunch for Sephiroth - incorporating some of that rabbit, even, maybe - before they head their separate ways for the day, Angeal does have to ask something.]
I imply think that you have nothing to lose by getting to know him a little more. He clearly already knows a lot about you, and always seemed to highly respect you. May as well even the playing field by getting to know him in turn.
[There are many uses for rabbit! But for now, Angeal just shrugs.]
Fair enough. Still, if you ever want to have it, I'll just ask that fishing nerd in town if he'll trade something for it. He does it for the love of the sport, after all, so it won't be much out of his schedule.
[Either way. There's a mirrored shrug, he doesn't seem to think it's important enough to actually wait on an answer for. If he feels the need to get a fish he will! Until then, things with fur, because things can be made from the fur, and the projects continue! He's content to collect lunch and head ou--
...That wasn't his name. That wasn't his name and he's really not sure he should say so, because it might be that nickname thing that keeps turning up now and again and not some really odd lapse in memory and there's this long, loooong stretched out moment of hesitation before he chooses not to question it and instead slinks on his way, baffled.]
[And yet that's the part that even now makes the least amount of sense to him. That this other "him" would be so honest about himself and what he - they - had gone through. Really, now, even if he did share so much, there's little reason for someone not of their brethren to come to respect him so much.]
[Hm. "Even the playing field", eh?]
Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say "nothing" could be lost. But, in the grand scheme of things, I admit the risk is negligible at best.
[Which might sound callous, but in reality, Emet-Selch is simply working out how bad of a thing getting to know this fellow better could actually be.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Written, late night of fae party.
Did it predate the simulation?
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[There's maybe a brief minute before an answer starts to carefully form along stone.]
It's been only a couple of years, at this point... but it didn't predate the sim, unfortunately. Maybe a lot of things would have changed for the better in that case.
You probably have a lot of questions. I'll answer what I can, although I might pass on a few things just because, well... I'm not the only person involved in all of this.
[The other Sephiroth, at the very least, would deserve a say, depending on the question.]
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You are both adults and may choose to act as you wish, I merely want a good estimate for how much time I have to get used to the idea of touching anyone in that fashion.
It sounds as if I will have the better part of a decade, thankfully.
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Not a bad boiling, I like to think.
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Boiling sounds like a euphemism.
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And it's fine. I think you'll meet me still. I'm pretty stubborn at all ages, and I think we'll always find you no matter what. Ask Genesis about this sort of thing next if you want a real romantic's point of view.
But you know, when you say 'intimacy is repellant', what kinds of intimacy are we talking about? Just physical?
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I find it best to not plan for a future that may not occur. My other self seems to think it will be best if I never return at all.
If there are other kinds of intimacy, I have not been made aware of them. My education on the physical has been thorough. But if dancing counts, I'm not really into that either, though I can if I must.
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And I can see why he would say that. Things get rough for all of us, and I won't pretend that our lives haven't been for the better now that we've all been far away from Midgar and ShinRa.
Still. Knowing you has always made any Angeal Hewley's life better, and I'll stick to that belief no matter what.
Knowing what I know of your life, I guess that's not too surprising. But romance isn't just about the physical. Emotional intimacy is more important than that by bounds, although they can tie together and often do.
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It reeks of scorn.]
My concern is the physical. ~*~feelings~*~ don't come with swapping bodily fluids.
Though it is not exactly pleasant to know everyone knows more about my life than I do, but nobody will tell me 'for my own good' with the exception that Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos exist, and it is the only thing I have to look forward to.
It makes the trajectory of my existence rather clear.
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[Right, right, focus.]
I can imagine. Although at least in my defense, it's more that I don't want to step on a certain someone else's toes. This concerns Sephiroth, after all - both of you. And I don't want him to feel like he's being ignored either.
They really don't teach you how to deal with this kind of thing in school, do they?
Although... I might be able to tell you about something else to do with your life. He might not be able to complain about the other futures that I know, too.
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What will occur, besides this immediate issue, is less of a concern. I suppose it's only a matter of finding methods of desensitization.
[He is very much concerned about the fact that everything is being very carefully filtered and that it didn't bode well, but it's also true that the more immediate concern is being certain he doesn't get less than a month to prepare for exactly how gross human bodies could be. PRIORITIES.]
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Well, the offer is always on the table. You know where to find me if you ever have any other questions. I'll always be honest with you.
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I know bait when I see it.
Thank you for answering my questions as to the nature of your relationship to my older self.
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And awwwww. Even if it's bait, sometimes the end result isn't so bad, you know. I mean, people sometimes have to bait themselves into nice situations all the time. Makes doing annoying things all the more easier.
I'll have to prove that to you while we're all stuck living here, you know.
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[text] Following Byleth's Revelations
This is Emet-Selch. Whilst I'm more than amenable to scheduling Mithrun's next appointment, I am contacting you with an inquiry about Professor Eisner.
I have been told you know him personally.
Is this correct?
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Do you think he's lying about what he's 'remembered', for a lack of better term for this kind of weird situation, or is this about something else?
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While I've no reason to believe he would choose to lie intentionally, I am looking to confirm the validity of his statements, yes.
From what I understand, the catalyst for him receiving this knowledge in the first place was the result of fae magicks. Even if he was a part of this "Simulation" originally, there is no way for those of us outside of it to determine whether or not these memories - as they were presented to him - are entirely factual in nature.
Consider the distortions and exaggerations one might expect of dreams, of illusions. The fae I'm familiar with are easily capable of such feats.
no subject
However, unless I were to start suddenly sharing memories with him on everything that the pond made him aware of, I'm not exactly sure how you want me to validate things completely. All I can tell you is this much:
I knew a Byleth Eisner in the Amani Simulation, who had been there before me and was so successful in what was requested of him that he was able to found an entire library for everyone's benefit. He knew a good couple of your Convocation. Intimately.
I only knew you passingly, in contrast.
Which is why he's been able to not grate too much against Emet in turn, probably. An acquaintance is still the same, even in another world.
no subject
[Perhaps it all sounds accusatory, as if Emet-Selch is trying to put off most of the blame onto the fae and convince everyone that Byleth's account isn't real. Though the truth of it is much simpler: he cannot fathom a world in which it could be real, despite Angeal being the second person to support the tale. Oh, he can accept the Amani Simulation existed. The part he can't accept is this other him's role in it all. Even if that world facilitated the relationships described to him, that he would ever in a million years allow himself to-]
[Even so, there's something about Angeal's words that ring true. Well can he imagine some other version of Byleth setting up a library for all to use. His own experiences, after all, paint him as an inquisitive and oddly caring individual despite his distinct lack of affect. The festival alone has proven that much.]
I'm well aware that it would be impossible to expect validation for every single claim that has been made (not to mention distinctly uncomfortable for all parties involved).
What you have shared is sufficient.
It was Byleth himself who suggested that I reach out to you for clarification, and what you have said matches with Elidibus's assertions.
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[quotes on purpose.]
Still, glad to help, although I wonder if it's really sufficient enough. It's not like I know what it's sufficient FOR, after all. If you've already spoken to Elidibus, I would think that would be enough to dispel an idea that Byleth is lying.
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It certainly seems "interesting". Though beyond that, not the sort of place I would consider for an extended holiday.
As to what my inquiries are for, I simply wanted to speak to those with first-hand experiences within the Simulation. Cross-referencing, if you will. Much of what I have heard has sounded - to put it plainly - unbelievable regardless of the information's source.
I am not one to trust what I hear blindly.
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So, do you believe Byleth now, with two different sources telling you things that seem to line up?
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If what he witnessed in that pond wasn't a deception at all, then I suppose I'm left with little choice but to suspend my disbelief.
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Although, if I'm allowed to be a little bold here and make a request?
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a present. Kind of.
But no fish or birds. Hm.]
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[But when he's handing over the usual lunch for Sephiroth - incorporating some of that rabbit, even, maybe - before they head their separate ways for the day, Angeal does have to ask something.]
Not a fan of fish?
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[What. Is he doing with the rest.]
Also, don't have to get wet to catch a rabbit.
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I imply think that you have nothing to lose by getting to know him a little more. He clearly already knows a lot about you, and always seemed to highly respect you. May as well even the playing field by getting to know him in turn.
Nothing to lose by doing so, right?
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Fair enough. Still, if you ever want to have it, I'll just ask that fishing nerd in town if he'll trade something for it. He does it for the love of the sport, after all, so it won't be much out of his schedule.
Have a good day, Seri.
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[Either way. There's a mirrored shrug, he doesn't seem to think it's important enough to actually wait on an answer for. If he feels the need to get a fish he will! Until then, things with fur, because things can be made from the fur, and the projects continue! He's content to collect lunch and head ou--
...That wasn't his name. That wasn't his name and he's really not sure he should say so, because it might be that nickname thing that keeps turning up now and again and not some really odd lapse in memory and there's this long, loooong stretched out moment of hesitation before he chooses not to question it and instead slinks on his way, baffled.]
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But alright. I'll be a very good roommate and not have you keel over from embarrassment.
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Carefully the rock is set aside.]
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[Hm. "Even the playing field", eh?]
Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say "nothing" could be lost. But, in the grand scheme of things, I admit the risk is negligible at best.
[Which might sound callous, but in reality, Emet-Selch is simply working out how bad of a thing getting to know this fellow better could actually be.]
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gamesim, he doesn't know what to tell you, buddy][But for now...]
Well, that's one way to phrase it I guess. Regardless, that's all I wanted to say, along with vouching for Byleth's character.
Relax a bit, and you might even find some fun in getting to know him.