recrowns | [ clem is perfect and must be protected ]

Mm, we've known each other since we were children.

[which is a fun tidbit he hasn't mentioned to anyone else]

You've gotten familiar with her then?

[ well, that's kind of nice. at least some people got to be with people they know. looks away fastly from what little i know about their canon.

at any rate, clem gives a small smile. ]

Barely. But - she said it was good to have met me.

[ which made an impact, given how sincere she'd sounded. and how clem does not think it's true. ]

[ :)

soo-won looks pleased at that]

Fufu, that does sound like her.

I'd agree with that sentiment - though I wish it could be under different circumstances.

[clem is so good! this place? less so!]

[ clem is not so sure she's good, and looks very awkward because she doesn't know how to take that. ]

Uh, yeah. I also wish we weren't in magic murder death village.

[ . . . hmm, he tilts his head.]

If I may - why is there a note of hesitance in your voice?

[about whether it's good to meet her]

I'm kind of a downer.

[ . . . he waits, as if expecting her to say more

and then, belatedly - ]

.... oh, is that why?

More or less.

I'm not good at being around people. For a long time I thought it was better not to take the risk. Spent a lot of time by ourselves, so...

You and AJ?

[he looks thoughtful at that though, before tilting his head]

I think it can take time to get used to being around others... but for what it's worth, I think you've been adapting well.

I like being around you. You're very level-headed, and direct. It's nice, to not have to wonder what you're thinking.

[ she nods, but - brushes past that pretty quick. ]

I feel like I'm all over the place. I can't decide if I'm angry at the leaders or not, or even what I'm supposed to believe.

[ because magic is crazy and has crazy rules! that's not fair! she's used to having an obvious target to hate when things get fucked up! ]

Mm... it is rather hard to seek answers at the moment, or even to trust the answers that we're given.

[his expression shows a hint of frustration as well]

All I can determine is that we can search for information, and have to sift through that in order to determine what's actually true.

How are we supposed to do that when half the explanations for things we get are just "The Realm did it"?

We determine how to dismantle the Realm.

[you TAKE THE HEAVENS and YANK THEM DOWN]

Could I ask you to speak with your Leader and share what they tell you with me? I wonder if they would be able to say different things to different people.

Aren't we supposed to be repairing it or whatever?

[ clem really should try harder to understand the whole nova situation. ]

... I don't mind, but I feel like I can't get anywhere talking to them. It's all just magic and The Realm.

We're meant to be repairing the current flow of nova - collecting it, however it's unclear what the methods to collect nova currently are. If killing another leads to absorbing their nova, does that put someone's point total ahead?

The Realm itself is meant to connect to other worlds and universes, and repairing the nova would mean saving the Realm, and all our worlds.

[but he also offers a look of commiseration]

It all feels rather... fantastical, no? There's no magic in my world either - so it all feels like I'm trying to catch up to understand.

This just might be what they meant by a friendly competition. Even if they didn't know it.

[ she is so relieved, though, to find another non-magic. ]

There's always a cop-out explanation for things. And it doesn't follow any rules that I can think through for myself.

Perhaps so - even though it seems that the Leaders themselves are rather startled at all the developments. I'd be impressed if Rabbit was so fantastic an actor that they would be swept off their feet that often.

[like honestly]

But you're right. It'd be nice if we were working with anything even remotely.... familiar or concrete.

Though at least, no one else heard of nova before now either.

I definitely don't think Rabbit is acting.

[ ... ]

Which sucks. Because I want to be pissed off at them. [ but how can you when they're just as distressed as everyone else? ]

It's easier when you have a clear target as an enemy, no?

[there's a sigh]

... I think it's fair to be frustrated, and hold onto anger - but maybe you can harness it into collaboration rather than opposition?

If there's a way we can all work together, I'm all for it.

It's not like I want things to get messy. [ she just expects it. ]

I'd hope that no one here does but... sometimes people have concepts and memories more important to them than peace.

[to which he sounds both understanding and resigned]

Even still, that doesn't mean we can't all try to collaborate at the same time. The sooner we stabilize the nova, the more of us win.

I can't decide if I want to let go of my memories or keep them. Seems cruel to forget.

Might be a relief, though. I don't know.

[ ... hm, she looks uncomfortable at having admitted that, though. ]

[while she looks uncomfortable, he doesn't seem to flinch away from it]

It might be simpler, if you did not have to carry the weight on your heart. No one can fault you for that.

I don't know if I can help you decide but... you know yourself best.

What about you? Don't you have sad memories that it might be easier to go on without?

[ah

there's a bit of a... soft smile at that]

I do. I think that's... very common.

[a beat]

But if I were to lose those memories, for myself... I think that I would lose sight of my path, and make it harder to acknowledge that I'm the same as everyone else -

I also make choices that can hurt people, and part of living is carrying those alongside the happy memories.

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