Jema'grethy: Memory Cave

[voidtreckermods]

Passengers see a vision, an instance of someone's life, before just as suddenly - they find themselves inside a cave. It is light, a strange moss glowing on the walls and ceiling illuminates the cave nicely, and it is large enough for them to pace around in without trouble.

They're not alone. In the cave with them is another voidtrecker; maybe someone they know well, or maybe someone they've only seen in the aisles of the train. But they are together in this cave, and they will come to find out that it was one of their memories that the other witnessed. And them, one of yours.

The cave has no exit, at least not yet. They know that it will, eventually. When the time is right.

But for that time to come, they first must talk...

(OOC: Memories can be written either in this post or over here)

Comments

[thawed_pride]

He shook his head and shrugged.

"I only know what the train has shared by way of her own research. This...phenomenon is something that can be deliberately triggered, if people want, for Kingdom Hearts knows what reason, to trade memories willingly, but evidently it also has a mind of its own."

[guru_clef]

"Perhaps I shall request a book on the topic at the next platform. It may be interesting if we can figure out how to trigger such sharing of memories at will. It would make teaching and cooperation much swifter, in theory. We just have to avoid overuse as it might lead to an abundance of same thought, thus rendering outside perspectives null and void."

[thawed_pride]

"I believe it to be a specific property of these caverns. Something about wanting to return here because some individuals caught glimpses of the train's inaccessible memories. An intriguing concept to be certain, but..."

But exposing others to the nightmares of his past is exactly what he'd wanted to avoid.

"Well, I shall just say that I hope what you witnessed was not especially unpleasant, and leave it at that."

[guru_clef]

"A conversation that without context means little to me, and I am certain I can more or less forget it, if that is your preference. Perhaps a sample of the stone of the cave, perhaps the the effect radiates from the base sediment."

[thawed_pride]

"It may also be a property of the location itself. My previous experience with...memory-related magic was at the precise behest of a sapient wielder. I would hope that such is not the case here, or else I will be quite displeased..."

Of course, casting his magical sensors out...just tells him the magic suffuses the area.

"Taking a sample and returning it to the train should be a simple matter. My specialty is quite useful for splitting stone, so long as some form of natural fissure is present."

[guru_clef]

"Then if you would be so kind as to gather samples for us, I can store them if need be." He was always willing to cooperate in circumstances like this. "Sapient wielder?"

[thawed_pride]

"Of course. My own primary form of storage is magical, so if you have a mundane container, it would be best to avoid cross-contamination."

Finding a crack would be easy enough. Between his natural height and his Float spell, he didn't have to worry about not being able to get close enough to see.

"A young woman, with a peculiar knack for manipulating the memories within people's hearts. I'm not certain if this manner of effect would be within her capabilities or not, however...the circumstances were unfortunate, to put it mildly."

[guru_clef]

"Ah no, mine is magical as well. I have become accustomed, over the last decade, to those without means of storage at all, save their hands and shallow pockets."

He considered that, sitting on his floating spit of land as he did, staff standing beside him on its own. "Someone who is on the Train?"

[thawed_pride]

"Then the pockets of my coat shall have to suffice. It is enchanted, but only to repel ambient Darkness."

The way he said the word made it clear that he wasn't talking about shade. A pause, and a snap of his wrist caused ice to form in a small crack in the wall, expanding it until the edges crumbled and fell away as stones.

"If the child has been on this train, it was before my time. I met her approximately a year before my arrival here, though our interactions were brief. Mercifully so, as I doubt she would have appreciated the intensity of the interrogation I had in mind for her."

[guru_clef]

"I shall store my own samples and we can compare them for differences. Though if we were truly concerned about contamination from magical storage, we would also have done well to use a more mundane method of collecting the samples in the first place."

"And if you were to meet her now?" Clef was perfectly capable of carrying on two conversations, at the same time, with the same person.

[thawed_pride]

"I merely manipulated the temperature to create ice within the cracks of the stone. The ice itself is wholly mundane. Unfortunately, I am...rather lacking in non-magical objects which I might have used."

He stooped down to pick up one of the stones and slide it into one of the deep pockets of his labcoat.

"If I should meet Namine now...such was part of my plan, before I was whisked away to my first platform. I doubt she has the most favorable impression of me, however...curious as I may be about her unique capabilities, it would be best if any questions came from elsewhere."

[guru_clef]

He used Bending to float some stones to himself, though his barrier and into the gems of his staff. "Ah, I would have created a pick axe, if we needed a more mundane method. I suspect it would amount to nearly the same contamination."

"Because of her impression of you? Or your own concerns over your behavior?"

[thawed_pride]

"My shield would have been suitable, enough, but I find this method easier."

Though he has distinctly superhuman strength as a Nobody, his magical stamina remains much better than his physical.

"And...it is more the former. I was a rather different person back then, one who cared nothing for what distress I caused the subjects of my curiosity. I was willfully complicit in her manipulation and the abuse of her powers, and I would not be surprised if my presence was a painful reminder of that time."

[guru_clef]

"It is interesting to consider various different methods," he said with a nod.

Of course, if he had made the pickaxe, he would have handed it over to the other to wield. He was a bit short for proper leverage.

He nodded, considering that. "Change, when it happens can be deeply personal and isn't always obvious. And even when it is, trust is a bridge that sometimes can be difficult to mend." Or impossible.