01 | A Request

[unbrokenoaths]

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

Comments

[unbrokenoaths]

[ 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.

[starshower]

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.

[unbrokenoaths]

[ 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.

[starshower]

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.

[unbrokenoaths]

[ 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 think we can wrap this! 💕

[starshower]

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.

sounds perfect!! ♡

[unbrokenoaths]

[ 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.