dramatispersonae | Memory Scavenger Hunt with Nick

[Once everyone has gathered, Nick addresses the crowd:]

Ah, hello! I apologize if I have called you away from your dinner, or caused you any other inconvenience! Please feel free to leave if you would prefer to do so! However, if you have the time, I believe I have a game for you to play. I am not entirely certain that it will work, but it came to me somehow that it could be done, and . . . it feels to me as if it were . . . right and proper and perhaps necessary . . . oh, I am making a muddle of this. But I am wasting your time! I would not waste your time! Let us begin, if you are willing.

[He stands, and proceeds to hand each person who has arrived a feather -- when you take them, they change to your team colour]

So much here is lost, lost, but you are all able to recover it, a little at a time. Such is your power! Still, memories are fragile, I think, and bits of them slip through the cracks every day. It is so troubling! But a memory can be strengthened, perhaps, if it is shared; if it is told and lived over and not-- forgotten! And so I ask that you find for each other, in your memories, certain things; these tokens will allow you to share them freely amongst yourselves, if I have the right of it. It should be simple -- merely hold your feather and think of the memory you wish to share, then give it to whoever you choose, and they will see it. Er, I have made a list of things for you to find in each other's pasts . . . whether you wish to share what happened in your own worlds or this world or a mix of the two I leave to your discretion!

If there is something you wish to share in your own way, through your speech, I believe that will do as well -- though as it is not so accurate nor so immediate, it will be worth less. And if you are not honest with it. . . if you wish to lose your past in falsehood. . . it will not do. It will not do!

I promise you also, that although these memories will come to you full of life and feeling, they will not harm you, if there is pain in them, nor madden you, if there is madness in them; they will be as dreams, and leave you unscathed. Now, please! Begin your work! I am afraid that this magic will not last for very long at all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, you saw her grave in that memory.

[nods slightly]

I see. [pauses a moment] Do you have any memories of her?

[...quietly]

No memories. I do have a memento, though.

I'm glad that you have that.

[hesitates... then tugs his glove off, to show him the exsphere on the back of his hand]

[blinks, looking a little surprised]

Lloyd . . . ?

This is an exsphere. Um, they've got to be mounted on a key crest [taps it] or they can be really dangerous.

...this one was my mom's. It's part of why she died, but it also makes me stronger.

[studies it for a moment, looking up at him]

What is it, exactly?

It's an inorganic life. They're lonely, so they pull human lives into themselves. That's the best I understand it, anyway.

So your mother is . . .

Yeah, her soul is part of this stone right now.

[quietly, after a moment]

I'm glad that she can be with you at least.

It's not right. But actually, hearing more about your world gave me a lot of hope. You guys figured out how to get the souls out of blastia.

We have Yuri to thank for that.

I want to figure out how to do the same for exspheres. It must be possible!

If Rita or Witcher were here I'm certain they would be happy to assist with the task. Unfortunately I don't know if Yuri or I would be able to be of much assistance.

...if you go home first, I can candle call you, and—

[puts his hand to Lloyd's shoulder, squeezing]

We'll make every effort, without a doubt.

[covers Flynn's hand with his for a second]

Thank you.

[L-Lloyd Irving]

I would do whatever is within my power to aid you, Lloyd. I am truly glad to have met you, to have fought by your side, to call you my friend. If nothing else, I owe you at least that much.