Seasons: IC Contact/Continuations

[abnormalizes]

This is Evangeline! Sorry, I'm a little busy right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Comments

[abnormalizes]

Most worlds are better than mine, for what it's worth.

[...She can't say Frieda's is one of them, from what she's heard. She doesn't have the lived experience to compare. But she can say that most worlds are better than theirs.]

It's okay. Who else would you have talked to about it?

[urtitan]

[In the worst corners of the Walls, one might get one's throat slit, but it'd be a murder-robbery rather than the prelude to a butchery, and there haven't been any cases of cannibalism. Historically, though, Frieda has seen just about any horror imaginable on the continent (though the meat grinder death was still a novelty).]

Do you have any idea why I ended up in your dream?

[Will this happen again?]

[abnormalizes]

Oh! Yeah! Something to do with the clouds of glitter that have been everywhere lately? I ended up in a couple other people's dreams too, it's been a hassle.

[So yeah, probably.]

[urtitan]

That glitter?! I thought that was just... something to do with the fairies, maybe.

[Perhaps, she should have checked the announcements more thoroughly! Alas. She exhales.]

I... I hope you'll get to visit some happier dreams.

[Hopefully, not any of the local Eldians'.]

[abnormalizes]

Some of them were nice! I got to be in Rinku's dream for a while, it was pretty positive.

[There were still some dark parts, but overall she enjoyed the experience.]

I hope you get to be in happy ones, too.

[urtitan]

[She smiles, just a little bit. Rinku's dreams are probably much nicer than either of theirs! (She'll find out soon whether that is true or not.)

She expected to speak with Evangeline for an hour or several, to comfort her and be comforted in turn, to help each other process what they experienced... but in the end, it's really straightforward, isn't it? The City is a horrible place where hope and kindness get all but snuffed out, and she had to adapt to survive, just like Evangeline had to, only that the latter had the "advantage" of having been born into that hostile environment.]

...

Can I see you sometime soon? I'd like to do something nice with you - go looking for treasures in the second-hand shops in Stormreach, or visit one of the museums, or whatever else you want.

[She want to see her next to her, alive and happy and free to move about without fear of getting violently murdered.]

[abnormalizes]

Oh - yeah, of course. I'd like that too. We can go to a museum and maybe grab lunch?

[Something nice, something happy and relaxing.]

[urtitan]

That sounds great! I look forward to seeing you.

[She'll still need to spend a lot of time processing and reflecting on everything that happened in the dream and juxtapose it with her morals and values - innate and inherited -, but that's nothing Evangeline can help her with. She'll help her the most by just being by her side as her friend.]

wrapup?

[abnormalizes]

Me too.

[One last thing before she hangs up-]

I'm glad you're okay. Or, I don't know if okay is the word, but safe? Something like that.

🎀

[urtitan]

I am okay. Thank you for being there for me, Evangeline.

[Her voice is warm and sincere. Despite everything, she's safe and sound and clear-minded enough to be able to tell dream and reality apart (much as what was a dream for her is reality for the people in Evangeline's world)... and she's not alone. That, really, makes all the difference.]