elevelvetor | [ ic inbox ]

It seems they met the four Founders, in a way. One of them had a last name I was familiar with—Vanderweele. We found a security badge in a pair of scrubs for an R. Vanderweele, which leads me to believe they might be a descendant of the first one... Or at least related somehow. They also heard a bit about unreality and the fact small storms are the reason we have the chocobo-horse switch and the missing colors... and that there's a possibility that these storms can grow stronger.

[ ...or, given the fact a good chunk of them got thrown out of the city, that they already have. She's going for her mcflurry first, ice cream's easier to handle as she taps out replies. ]

I'd suggest you read it in full for yourself though. [ ...She'll be nice and send it to him, there Silver. ] Let me know if anything in particular stands out as well.

Vanderweele...

[That's the name of the person from the letter, isn't it? Silver pulls out his sketchbook and flips to the page with all of his notes; the family crests he's drawn match up with different names, so he jots them down. Clarence Vanderweele next to the wolf, Georgia Mahoney next to the rabbit, Philip Spinnato next to the fish, Myrtle Cavendish next to the bear...

And this letter he wrote out- that belongs to this first founder person, is that right? Was the dragon in this story the dragon they rode in on? This really is a lot...]

We found a few things, our group. These crests, for starters.

[The crests of the founders... Man, is he glad he sketched them down.]

The second was a letter from the founder about how everything was going to plan. The world is going to be preserved, retrospec's been settled, and they'll make sure things go right so they can rebuild.

[Retrospec has an observational role in all of visions, etc. that we’ve been experiencing.]

The third were some newspaper clippings. They talked about the deaths and ends of important families, but we couldn't make out any names.

So you didn't hear anything about a Dr. Halliday, I presume.

[ ...Maybe he was just an encounter. She sets her phone down so she can start on her food—junk food like this is such a treat honestly, she rarely eats it normally. ]

Well... That all sounds very interesting, and it makes me wonder what other groups discovered. Perhaps our unanswerable questions are not so... unanswerable. [ Her... group's information aside. Elizabeth tears her nuggets into smaller chunks, eating them delicately. ] Or, at the very least, will shed more light on what Retrospec is and who it's run by, exactly.

Or where to proceed from here.

[He says, as if they have any control over the situation at all.]

Doesn't it bother you? You can't have that good of a poker face.

Edited 2017-09-03 03:13 (UTC)

[ She can have that good of a poker face if she wants, even if there's a flicker of uncertainty and irritation crossing her expression very, very briefly, before it returns to its usual impassive smile. Though, her tone's a little heavier. Not as neutrally cheerful. ]

...Naturally it does, but it isn't as if there's anything we can do about it, is there.

[ After all, they're in over their heads, just as Silver said. If she had a little more time, a little more information, maybe she'd be able to deliver a satisfying theory to her fellow Retrospeccers—but she hasn't gotten either yet, so it's a bit of a loss. ]

In my experience, it's easier to simply not worry about the things you can't control. You do what you can when the opportunity presents itself, or when you find a way to—you don't stress and beat yourself up over things out of your reach. We can't do anything about Retrospec at present, but we can consolidate the information founded by the other groups and see where that leaves us. Likely with more questions than answers, admittedly, but... [ ... ] It's something we can do and something we should focus on doing, I suppose.

Once we've collectively processed what we can of the last month, at least. I won't deny anyone's need to do so, nor the speed they accomplish it at. [ Not everyone's going to do it quickly, or seem like they have. ]

[...What she's saying makes sense, but... That's the problem. It's logical. There's no processing behind it. Is Liz holding herself back? He's quiet for a moment, deciding on how he wants to respond, then settles into a frown and decides to throw a fry at Liz instead, with no further explanation for his actions.]

[ She's not expecting that, and she gives a start before she glances at him with a small frown. ]

I suppose you bought the food, so it's your right to waste it if you want, but... what was that for?

You're gonna worry anyway, aren't you?

[There goes another fry, right at Liz. (He's economical about his fry throwing, and tries to aim where it will at least land in her lap and not go to waste.)]

You know where being calm about this stuff got you? A dozen people shoved all their denial and insecurities on you.

[And another fry--]

[ Throw all the fries you want, she's not gonna throw them back— ]

They would've still done that even if I hadn't been calm. [ Being cool and casual about it didn't get Dave any denial and insecurities, but he hadn't said everything either— ] It was because I reported everything we learned, not how I delivered it.

So that's it, then? You're just gonna sit down and take it?

[Aoi looks so concerned, what the hell is going on here-]

Even now, when there's no one around to impress?

[This fry manages to stick a landing in her hair--!]

I'm not trying to impress anyone, Silver.

[ Look, there, you got her to sound a little pissed. She turns her head away, reaching up to delicately pluck the fry out and twist it in her fingers. ]

I'm simply handling this the way I've always handled things. [ A moment where she holds her breath, then lets it out in one smooth, soft sigh. Her tone's... less neutral when she speaks, but not as angry as before. Frustrated at best. ] If I can't do anything about a situation, then I don't waste my time trying to think of ways to do that—I just acquiesce to it until I can do something.

Just like turning eighteen. I knew what I wanted to do as soon as I became an adult—I wanted to find somewhere I wanted to live, and I wanted to settle down, and I wanted to just... stay there, instead of shifting from place to place every couple of months or half year. [ Recollé is probably the longest she's stayed in one place before, actually, and that's because she's decided she's getting her education finished up here. Once she's done with university, she's out. She wants to leave and find somewhere she wants to be. She... doesn't know where that is, but she'll find it, she's sure. ] So I bid my time and let my family shuffle me around, and... now I'm here, and in a few years, I won't be anymore. I'll be somewhere else, in a place of my choosing, and I'll be happy with it.

[ ................ ]

Is any of that what you wanted to hear? [ Are you satisfied, she means, with the reaction he's managed. ]

[I'm here, and in a few years, I won't be anymore.

He manages to take what she's dealing out without trouble up until those words; he flinches, visibly, but keeps any comments on the matter to himself. What does he care? He's only known Liz for a few months. For all he knows, she'll forget all about everything before that's a problem anyway. Doesn't he want to get out of this dump too? So why...?]

It's frustrating.

[He's not even trying to mask his irritation, and his words follow that up nicely, but he keeps his voice level as he speaks. He's not here to yell at her.]

Screw acquiescing. This is bullshit. You know this is bullshit, too. Why are you denying yourself that frustration? Because it won't change your circumstances?

[It's passive. Defeated. Complacent. He can't stand to listen to it.]

Then at least get mad at a couple of fries.

[...He says it, but he doesn't reach to throw another one at Liz, instead tossing it into Feraligatr's mouth. (He is still very concerned and very confused.)]

[ He's not here to yell at her, but she's obviously getting scolded, and it burns. Damn straight she's denying the frustration because it isn't going to help—she can yell and scream all she wants, if she wants, but it isn't like it's going to change anything. It'll be catharsis and nothing more, and while catharsis is all well and good, if she's going to do it, she'll do it on her own.

She's an adult, so she can take care of herself and deal with things in her own way—it's childish to throw a fit about what you can't control, and... maybe she is trying to impress someone, or impress that onto everyone. That she doesn't need help—that she absolutely has everything under control.

Elizabeth gently pushes most of her food aside and focuses on her ice cream, unable to keep herself from pouting around the spoon. ]

The fries don't deserve that.

[ ...which is the stupidest sentence ever, she's aware. ]

...The fries don't deserve that.

[He'll concede that much and. Stop throwing the fries, for starters. Realize just how hungry he is and shovel the rest of his food down his throat, for another.

He's being too hard on her. After everything that's happened? He's being much too hard on her. And who the hell is he, anyway? He shouldn't just decide they're close and act accordingly. Not after a few short months.]

Sorry. If you do ever want yell about this stuff with, I'll hear you out.

[But I won't push you anymore is the implication.]

I'll keep it in mind. [ It's delicately said, high and detached, though she... deliberately softens her voice after a bit, glancing at him. ] Thank you, Silver; your apology is accepted. And... I'm sorry for snapping at you as well.

[ ...snapping, yes, that's what she did. ]

[ ic inbox ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject