futurology | text | un: Sasaki

Like a few others here, I'm among those who met the goddess Nalanni. And like others there are things I learned from having a conversation with her. First and foremost, I'd like to request some help in conveying a message she intended for her people.

She wanted them to know that she loves them, and that she knows they can go on without her.

At the time, I was struck with the thought that she'd considered her own passing a possibility. And now that I've seen mentions of slaying gods here, it seems she wasn't wrong. Maybe some of you know more than me, but I'm not convinced it's the only way. Having said that, I'm not blind to the reality that those are our orders, and that there are those who will follow them.

I'm more interested in helping the Nalawi. I gave my word that I would do whatever I could, and so... To those who are already making efforts to ensure the Nalawi are able to sustain themselves, whatever may come, I'd like to volunteer any help I can provide.

If anyone wants further information on the conversation I had with Nalanni, please let me know. I'm unsure how much would be redundant, since admittedly, I've picked up on recent developments here and there.

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[Haise watched as Evan turned the stone about, looking at it from different angles. It was something he'd done more than once in the short time since he'd been gifted it by Nalanni. He hadn't wondered so much how it worked, simply because something of mystical origins seemed beyond his knowledge for the time being.

Perhaps when they returned to Oska he could do something about that.

The question was unexpected, eyebrows lifting in response to it]

An experiment? I don't mind, though I don't have much experience with science.

[Supposing that was what Evan had meant, at least. Haise was himself apparently the result of an experiment, and his squad was experimental too... But that was surely not the same]

[Evan huffed, both gratified and lightly embarrassed.]

Well, I wouldn't quite deign to call it scientific, exactly. It's more a proof of concept, I'd need an actual thermometer and maybe a good handful of people to really... but in any case.

[He stopped himself, suffering a flash of self-consciousness again. Enough years of getting lightly mocked for going off on little tangents like that one made the young man quick to cut himself off. He straightened, lowering the rock to look at Haise instead. It's also occurring to him, somewhat belatedly, that the experiment he's thought of might be a bit awkward.

Augh. But he can't turn back now without enough backpedalling to make it just as awkward to ask as not.]

Since we only know of one thing that it does so far, I want to test that. That warmth that it imparts, I want to see if it's an actual warmth or some sort of trickery.

If you would let me, I'd like to take your temperature as I hand you the stone. Would you mind?

[The notion that it might just cause one to perceive warmth hadn't ever occurred to Haise, but he supposed that might be a good thing to learn. If it was real it might be useful in a far colder world, in theory. Otherwise it would be dangerous to rely on what was only an imagined change in temperature.

It was quite something, what some would notice or consider]

Why would I mind?

[The question came with an easy smile. Haise couldn't imagine what would be wrong with that, and it seemed that the confirmation of the stone's actual effects would be beneficial in the long run]

Well. [The breezy response drew something of a fret from Evan, one he recognized as silly. While he didn't personally object to physical contact, he was always startled when someone didn't ask first. It made him sensitive to the same in others -- and occasionally, like now, he wondered if perhaps he wasn't too sensitive. There was some envy in him for those who found touching others an easy thing.] Some people aren't always amicable to being touched.

In that case. Ah.

[He took one hand from the stone, considered it, feeling awkward now himself. But there was nothing for it but to do it, and he reached out and -- as per the way he'd always had his own temperature taken in the past -- he put his hand to Haise's forehead.

His hand was warm. It was always warm; other people feeling slightly cool to Evan was as familiar as breathing to the young man. With that in place, he went to hand off the stone to Haise before his hand warmed the other man's skin enough to confuse the reading.]

It's kind of you to ask, but you don't need to worry.

[In his three years of memory, Haise had become accustomed to being poked, prodded, and examined. He was an oddity, a human-turned-ghoul, a product of some mad scientist's delusion of grandeur. At least, that was the way it had always been presented to him. And being an anomalous existence, it was only natural that he was treated like the experiment he must have been.

Though perhaps more to the point, a weapon they were still deciding how best to use.

He glanced up curiously when Evan touched his forehead, though that didn't afford him the best view from this angle. When the stone was passed to him he felt the same warmth flow through him as any time he'd held it since Nalanni first gave it to him, but he hadn't any idea what Evan would conclude.

At least this seemed a simple way to determine whether it was a real effect or a perceived one]

[Evan kept his hand in place for long moments, gaze unfocused, but the frown that grew on his face was plenty of indication of his experiment's status, really. Finally he dropped his hand, fretting lightly.]

Oh, I suppose it stands to reason. Human bodies are so fine-tuned, we'd almost certainly feel the heat internally before it would express internally...

I'm still not convinced. Oh, for a proper thermometer. [He was still half talking to himself, but Evan shook himself out of it and looked at Haise again.]

Thank you, for helping out with that. I'm not sure off the top of my head what other non-invasive experiments I could run on that. [He nodded at the stone in Haise's hand.] If I think of any, could I contact you again? Or, you know, if you think of any?

[Haise couldn't imagine what he might think to suggest, as someone with no experience in this department. But he would surely adapt to the circumstances with time, and if he had the chance to read up on related subjects perhaps he could come up with some kind of ideas...

In the interim, he pocketed the stone, supposing they'd done what they could to examine it for now]

I'll let you know if any come to mind. Feel free to let me know if you think of anything, as well.

[It would be nice knowing more about the gift Nalanni had given him, after she'd put her energy into it]

[The offer genuinely made Evan smile, never mind that he'd made the request.] Thank you. I will.

Haise, right? [Too often Evan forgot names; being folded into a team with so many people had left him more determined to be diligent about learning his fellow recruits without having to resort to too many repetitions.] Listen, thank you for letting me have a look.

Hmm... [He glanced back at the village, away from the hypnotic waves and their peaceful rolling.] Feel free to ping me on the network anytime, I'm always around one way or another. I think it's about time to see what's in the communal pot for dinner tonight, though. Have you eaten? Do you want to come with?

Right.

[He confirmed when he was asked about his name, a small nod accompanying the word. It seemed there were no small number of them here, and a great deal of new information to absorb, so he thought nothing of verifying what his name was. To his knowledge, his given name was rather unusual compared to his far more common family name.

Granted...both had been given to him, and he was perfectly aware of that.

At the offer of food, though, he lightly waved the suggestion away like mist]

Thank you - but I really should take some time to spread Nalanni's message around. Hope it's a good meal, though.

text | un: Sasaki

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