dreamcrystals | 01

Entry tags:

01 | A Request

Sender: Baldr
To: Everyone
Subject: Dreamotion Research Assistance Request

Many of you may already be aware of the ongoing effort to ensure that those who wish to remain in this world may do so. Eustace-san has suggested a logical first step: we need to better understand the nature of the connections between our present selves and our original worlds. While it appears that observing the connection directly is beyond their current instruments, the researchers at the Observatory are hopeful that progressing their understanding of dreamotion could prove helpful.

What we now need are volunteer dreamers who would not object to the study of their dreamwalking and dreamotion. For those willing, if you could reply here or contact myself or Eustace-san, it would be a considerable help. Of course those who have no intention of staying here permanently are also very welcome to assist. I believe learning more about this could be beneficial to all of us.

Finally, the tapirs have suggested that those who no longer exist in their original world may not be tethered to those worlds as tightly. From comparison to the magic of my own world, I believe volunteers with unusual circumstances such as these might be able to provide the researchers with additional clues. Those who have died in their own worlds, who otherwise experienced a separation from their physical bodies, or who may have complex connections as a result of something such as cloning could be particularly helpful. I understand that a number of these subjects may be sensitive. If you don't wish to discuss them in public, you are more than welcome to contact us privately, or to disclose this information only to the researchers themselves.

Thank you all for your time,
Baldr

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hi Baldr.

Figured I should at least introduce myself at some point, since it sounds like you'll be working pretty closely with Eustace. Not sure if he's mentioned, but I'm Tifa Lockhart, his wife. So I guess you could say I've got a pretty high investment in all this work.

I'd be willing to offer myself up as a volunteer. Been here a long time so I've got a pretty good handle on both dreamwalking and dreamotion so whatever the researchers need, I'll try to make myself as available as I can between running the café.

I guess on that note, and I don't mean to turn this into a plug, but if you ever need a big space to gather people or even somewhere to do research, the Starflower is always open to you.

My belated congratulations on your marriage. It's easy to understand why your husband is so motivated to remain here.

[ Despite not having a face to put to the name, he's not going to second-guess that in the least. Hashtag all women are queens. ]

Having people so experienced with dreamotion will be a great help, thank you. The Starflower is your café, isn't it? I've been meaning to stop by. I hope Eustace-san doesn't think me irresponsible about this project if I say I'm grateful for the excuse.

Thank you. That's so sweet.

[She's blushing!!! Stop!]

But yes, it is! It's ours, actually, so I doubt he'll mind if you ever need to take a break and stop by for a bite to eat or a drink. And don't worry about payment, everything that you're doing for this is more than I could ask for in return.

I'm not entirely sure about the specifics of what it is he's having you do, though. Is there a certain kind of dreamotion or dreamwalking that you're looking into?

I could never take advantage of your kindness to that extent. But I'll certainly look forward to a visit the next time I have the opportunity.

[ People are offering to feed him so well on this mission... bribery which is absolutely not required but which he can't quite turn down. ]

As for the particulars here, we were hoping that the Observatory might have some means of observing or measuring these "tethers" we have to our own world. Are they to the place itself? Our physical bodies? It might give us some clue into how we could separate them.

Unfortunately, that seems a bit beyond what the researchers can do at present.

[She promises that he'll have the best food this side of Reverein when he comes to visit!

But onto the more serious matters at hand, yes—]

Right, the tethers. Did Eustace tell you about the conversation that we had with the tapirs a while back about that?

[ And this is how Baldr becomes yet another adoptable living at the Starflower, RIP. ]

Was that where you learned of them initially? He spoke a bit about the tethers, and that those who have died in their own worlds have a looser connection. But anything you can add would be welcome. Your husband is [ how does he say, ] charmingly terse.

[ He did explain quite a lot! But it probably wasn't exhaustive. ]

He is, isn't he? Always right to the point.

[Said with lots of love, of course!]

But yes, we went and spoke with them after he and I talked about wanting to find a way to stay without impacting ourselves back home. They didn't give much, but they did mention a few things that I thought were interesting.

That a lot of people and creatures here do exist separate from their worlds, without a tether. I guess making them native to this one. They mentioned rather than breaking the connection, there could be the possibility of tethering ourselves to this world instead. Make our dream selves more "real".

That might be less alarming for some than the idea of separating the tether outright. We wouldn't be unanchored at all, but rather, connected to this place instead.

Though now that you mention it -- I have a related question. Perhaps we don't know, when the longest I've heard of anyone being a dreamer here is about a year. But do our dream selves appear to age? Or are we more akin to separate, fixed projections from the time we first appeared?

You know, I actually haven't even thought of that.

I've been here since the first handful of us arrived in town, and I don't really feel that different. I guess when you've been here this long, you stop thinking about it.

Though, I think my hair has grown a little, if that helps? Had to trim it a few times.

[It probably doesn't.]

[ Even if it didn't help, he'd absolutely lie like a true courtier here. ]

Now that you mention it, I believe mine has grown a bit as well. So time is passing for us, in a certain sense. Although perhaps only time will tell if it affects our bodies here in any other way. I wonder if that would change if we became "real," either.

From the sounds of it, it might.

[This is about to get a little bit grim.]

The tapirs mentioned that if we become "real" here, death might work differently for us too. Not that we really know what happens, but it's something to think about.

[ He needs a little moment to mull that one over. Don't mind the longer pause before an answer. ]

There would be a certain logic to it, wouldn't there? Becoming real might be something like becoming alive, or being given a physical form. I don't suppose the tapirs knew how death affects natives of this world?

They do. They did say that it works the same as it does... Once a native dies here, they're gone. Though, that only applies to those that are born here. Nothing about whether or not our tethers would somehow still work differently, even if we did manage to find a way to stay.

Not that it's something I'd like us to experiment on. I'd rather not find out, but it is something to think about.

I think we have little fear of discovering any time soon. And it's no hazard we didn't already live with in our original lives. But it's certainly something many may wish to consider, if they intend to stay.

Although that gives me... perhaps a strange thought. If the "us" here becomes real, but our original self is unaffected, I wonder if we might not find them entering this world as a dreamer again.

[ Are they singular, like a mirrite? Or more like an exoflection> ]

You mean like a double? I've never even thought of that.

[Though, it does help to lighten the mood around her, and if only he could hear her laugh about it.]

I can only imagine the confusion that would cause, so let's hope that it isn't the case. I guess we should consider the possibility, though. What we would do in the event that our real selves showed up again, tethered to our own world still.

[ It's difficult to detect mood through the journals, but he thinks that did the trick. He brightens a little in return. ]

It occurs at times in my own world, although it's far from common. I consider myself quite fortunate; I'm confident I would get along excellently with another Baldr. I hope if a second "me" were to appear here, he might have learned some recipes I haven't encountered yet.

As strange as that would be, I guess it might have its perks.

[Though, speaking of their home worlds and their other selves... it's been so long that she hasn't thought much about it, but it is both an amusing and terrifying thought.]

Wonder if that works for different timelines, too.

I don't know how relevant this would be to the cause, but right before I came here, we destroyed some sort of arbiter of fate. Broke the passage of time and "destiny", I guess you could say. I wondered if that had anything to do with me ending up here, but I guess it might be worth looking into more later.

But it's probably nothing.

[ Nexuses and dreamers both can really say the most remarkable things without turning a hair. Baldr wonders if he sounds like that to anyone else here. ]

That seems like a question that you might wish to pose to the researchers, if they become able to assess the tethers directly. I'm sure most of those here don't have such exceptional circumstances. If it were my own world, Nuadha-sama might be able to explain what connection there might be. But this place seems to work very differently.

[ More thoughts to file away. Although with just a little pause: ]

You seem to have a way of finding yourself fighting your destiny. First these arbiters, then seeking to stay here. Your courage is dazzling, Tifa-san.

I'll be sure to ask when I see them, then.

[But oh, here he goes flattering her again!!! Is this how he gets all the slices of cake he wants at the Starflower!?]

I like to think I have control of my own life. The world's tried to bring it down a few times now, but I'm done with all that. This whole thing? I just wanna know that I've got a say in it all, you know? I think anyone could understand that, whether they wanted to stay here themselves or not.

[ If he finds out flattery earns him cake, he is going to flirt egregiously until she or Eustace carry him out by the scruff of his neck. ]

That you can say it so simply is proof of how strong you are. But I agree entirely. To know that we could choose to stay or to return would mean that these lives truly belong to us, in a sense.

I don't want some higher being or whatever deciding what I can and can't do. I'm happy here, and if my other self can keep going back home without my choices here affecting it, then why not, right?

[Sometimes she worries about that thought being a little selfish, but she won't burden Baldr with that baggage.]

Anyway. I'll let you get back to it. Let me know if you need anything at all, okay? Even if it's just a good, hearty meal or a drink to help you relax after all the work you're doing for us.

[ Thank goodness this isn't in person to capture Baldr's palpable wince at "higher beings." He really might just be running away from his true self's difficulties with Balor, but...

Well. All of that also isn't Tifa's problem to shoulder. ]

Precisely. The us here and now are free to choose our own path.

Naturally I can't feign selflessness in all this, when I stand to benefit from our findings as much as anyone. But your offer is entirely too tempting to turn down. I'll be certain to let you know when I'll be stopping by at the Starflower to leave notes for Eustace. Thank you again, Tifa-san.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01 | A Request

sender: tifa lockhart

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I think we can wrap this! 💕

sounds perfect!! ♡